


For the Love of a Demon

by LunariaTaisho



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-12 10:57:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11735634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunariaTaisho/pseuds/LunariaTaisho
Summary: Aria and her twin sister, Zelda, don't always see eye to eye on thing. However, Aria will go to any length to protect her sister.  Find out what happens when she is torn from her Loftwing and ends up falling through the Cloud Barrier that protects her home, Skyloft.***I don't own LoZ or the characters from LoZ. I only own the plot and Aria.***





	1. Chapter 1

"Zelda! That will be quite enough!" Headmaster Gaepora frowned at his blonde-haired daughter.

"But Daddy!"

"Don't "But Daddy" me, young lady. What you just did was completely uncalled for. How many times have I told you to stop being mean to your sister?" Gaepora sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. "Aria has done nothing wrong. Why do you insist on tormenting her?"

"She's trying to steal Link from me!"

"No, Link and I are just friends. Zelda, why won't you believe me?" Zelda's younger twin sister's stormy gray-blue eyes were filled with tears as she pushed her long auburn hair out of her face. A large red mark marred her left cheek where Zelda had slapped her. "Sister, please. Why can't we be friends like we were when we were little?"

For a second, Gaepora could see Zelda's eyes flash with regret before they hardened like the sapphires they resembled. He shook his head as he thought back to how close the two had been when they were younger. They had gone everywhere together when they were little. After their fourth birthday, they had met Link and he had become as inseparable from them as they were from each other.

It was only after the Loftwing Ceremony when Link received a rare Crimson Loftwing and Aria received an equally rare Black, Scarlet and Gold Loftwing that the two had started growing apart. The last six years had gradually gotten worse as Zelda's taunting, teasing, and bullying of her sister increased.

"You're a mistake, Aria. If you hadn't been born, Mom would have lived." Aria gasped as the tears fell. With a sob, she ran out of Gaepora's office.

"That's it, Zelda, you are grounded for a month. You're confined to your room unless it's for classes, meals or to use the bathroom." Zelda's eyes widened with shock.

"But, Daddy, the Wing Ceremony..."

"Aria will be the Goddess this year."

"No! Link's..."

"Yes, and if I hear that you're tormenting Aria again, you will be washing dishes and preparing pumpkins as well as being grounded. Your mother's death was not Aria's fault, Zelda, and I will not have you filling her head with that kind of nonsense." Gaepora shook his head and pointed to the door. "Now go to your room."

Gaepora sighed as Zelda stormed out of the office. A few seconds later, he heard her door slam shut. He shook his head again as he headed out to the waterfall, where Aria usually went when she was upset. Which was quite often lately, to Gaepora's dismay.

At 17, the two girls were well known and liked by most people. Zelda was considered the prettiest girl on Skyloft and several boys had expressed interest in her, though Zelda only wanted Link. She was nice to everyone, except her own sister. She was also the most stubborn and the most opinionated girl.

Aria was also pretty and popular, however, she was usually sought out by those who were trying to win over another person. A lot of people asked her advice when it came to matters of the heart. They trusted her to be honest with them and she would never recommend going out with someone who she didn't believe would be a good fit. The people she had helped get together, always ended up married and happy.

However, while she helped others, there were few people who helped her and none of the young men on Skyloft were interested in dating the best swordswoman in the Knight Academy. Gaepora smiled a bit as he sat next to his daughter as she stroked her Remlit, Charmel. Aria was the kindest, most forgiving, and most compassionate young lady, but she had a couple of flaws.

First, while it took a lot to make her loss her temper, when she did it was best to stay out of her way or you may end up needing the healer. The second flaw was that she would not immediately attack monsters. She always had to try talking with them first.

Gaepora would never forget the night she had snuck out of her room in the middle of the night and tried coaxing a wild Remlit to her. She had ended up covered in bites and scratches, but she also ended up with a Remlit that would curl up with her during the night.

"Why does Zelda hate me so much, Daddy?" He sighed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"I don't know what her issue is, Aria. You do know that you had nothing to do with what happened to your mother, right?" He relaxed a bit as she nodded. "I think Zelda may just be jealous of you."

"Why would she be jealous of me? She's pretty, smart, a great singer, and she's loved by everyone."

"You're all that as well as a great swordswoman. You also have a rare Loftwing and a special bond with your bird. You're well respected for your insight when it comes to love and people often ask your advice. And Link also spends more time with you than her."

"I guess, though Link is my best friend and sparring partner, so she shouldn't be jealous of that. I just want Zelda to be my friend again." Gaepora squeezed her shoulders briefly.

"I know, sweetie. I hope that she'll start thinking while she's stuck in her room for the next month." Aria groaned and shook her head.

"She's going to blame me for this." She leaned against his shoulder. "What about the Wing Ceremony?"

"You're going to be the Goddess this year, Aria. I know you have a lot on your plate already, but you will need to learn the speech and the Ballad of the Goddess as well as make a prize for the winner of the ceremony." Aria groaned and shook her head.

"She's going to hate me for this. It may have been best to give the role to someone else."

"There's no one else whose as familiar with the ceremony as you are and none of the other girls know how to play the harp. We don't have the time to teach anyone." Gaepora kissed the top of her head before standing up. "I'll have Zelda's dress altered for you and leave the ceremony book and harp in your room after dinner."

"Alright, Daddy. I'll do my best."

"I know you will, Aria. I love you, daughter."

"I love you too." She sighed as she stood up, Charmel perched on her shoulder as she headed back to the dorms with him. "I'm going to get some more practice in before dinner, then. I doubt I'll have enough time for extra practice for a while."

"Don't work too hard."

"I won't." Aria headed back to her room and changed into her practice gear before heading to the training room. She smiled as she saw Link practicing at the palls. She grabbed a wooden sword and shield before whistling. Link smiled and nodded as he spotted her across the room. They immediately got into their fighting stances and grinned as they sparred.

For the next half an hour, the training room was filled with the sound of wood hitting wood, yelps as one or the other was hit, and battle cries. Aria and Link were sweaty, bruised and laughing as their practice ended with a draw. The two friends cleaned up quickly before heading to the cafeteria for dinner.

Dinner was awkward for Aria and Link since Zelda hung all over Link while alternating between glaring at Aria and ignoring her. Link was uncomfortable since he didn't like having Zelda clinging to him and he didn't like that Zelda was fighting with Aria again. He knew Zelda had a crush on him, and while he liked her, he thought of her as a sister. He had told her several times before that he wasn't interested in her that way, that he wasn't interested in any girls like that, but she just got clingier and more determined.

Aria hated the fact the Zelda ignored Link's discomfort. She knew that Link wasn't attracted to girls. After all, they had been best friends for most of their lives, so it was no surprise to her when he told them that he liked men. Aria and Zelda were the only ones that Link told. Unfortunately for Link, none of the other young men in the Academy were interested in other men, so Link was still single and most people thought he would get together with Zelda or Aria, since they were always hanging out together.

After Zelda left the cafeteria, Link sighed with relief and Aria explained what happened earlier. Link shook his head when he heard that Zelda had slapped Aria for trying to "steal" Link from her and that she was now going to be the Goddess for the ceremony.

"Well, at least when I win the Wing Ceremony, I won't have to worry about being forcibly kissed." Aria laughed and shook her head.

"Yeah, though Groose is going to be so disappointed that he won't have a chance to stand with Zelda on top of the Goddess statue. I hope that you win the Ceremony, Link. I don't want to have to fend off Cawlin or Strich if they win." Aria and Link both shuddered at the idea.

"Don't worry, Aria, I'll definitely win."

"Just make sure you practice. Don't slack off or you may not graduate to the next level of your knight training."

"Yes Mother." They laughed again before heading back to the dorms. Aria found the harp and the book on her desk and sighed before pulling out her chair and opening her desk drawer and pulled out some white fabric, gold, black and red embroidery thread, and her sewing kit before she opened the book. While she measured, cut and sewed the white fabric to make a sailcloth, she studied the ceremony and practiced her lines.

For the next month, Aria had little spare time as she went to classes, trained in the training room, practiced her lines and the harp for the ceremony, and embroidered the sailcloth with a stylized black, scarlet and gold Loftwing in the center while the edges were decorated with crimson, white, lavender and gold embroidered feathers. The only time she saw Link was at practice and dinner, which was eaten with Zelda.

Aria was starting to get feed up with Zelda's cold shoulder and glares, so she was glad that she didn't have to spend much time with her sister. As she had known, Zelda blamed her for being grounded. It saddened Aria that Zelda couldn't take responsibility for her own actions.

Finally, the day of the Wing Ceremony arrived. Aria and Link met up early to talk and get a bit of practice in before it started. Link was confused when he couldn't feel his Crimson Loftwing and Aria agreed to help Link find out what happened. She knew that something must have happened if Link wasn't feeling his Loftwing. Like Link, Aria had a deep connection with her Loftwing and with her help as well as information from Fledge, the two friends found Link's Loftwing that Groose, Cawlin, and Strich had trapped behind the waterfall cave.

Link made it just in time to join the other would-be knights in the race. Aria smiled as the rules were explained to the participants and Groose was told to play fair. After the participants jumped off the edge and called their Loftwings, all Aria and the others could do was wait and watch as well as they were able to.

Link grinned as his Loftwing caught him and they took off after the bird statuette that the yellow Loftwing was carrying. The chase was long and involved some dodging since Groose kept charging him while his friends threw eggs at him. For a second it looked like Groose might get the statuette first, but with a burst of speed and a bit of fancy flying, Link managed to grab the statuette before him, winning the race and the promotion to the next level in the academy.

As he headed back to Skyloft, Link was startled when he heard Aria yell out to him. He looked up in time to see her jump off Skyloft and he caught her as she fell.

"One of these days you're going to give me a heart attack. Why do you have to be so daring all the time?"

"Cause playing it safe if boring and useless. Let's go, Link, we have a ceremony to finish."

"Alright, Miss Goddess. Let's get this show on the road." Link and Aria laughed as they flew up to the Goddess Statue and landed on her hands.

"Link, hand me that bird statuette you grabbed in the race. I must offer it to the goddess." Link handed Aria the statuette and she placed it in the empty space in the Goddess Statue. Then she took out the harp and played the Ballad of the Goddess. As she turned back to Link, she tucked the harp into her pouch and held out her hand to him. He knelt and bowed his head. "Great goddess, guiding light and protector of our people, grant us your blessing and mercy as I act in your stead during this ceremony. Valiant youth who grasped victory at the ceremony of the bird folk. In accordance with the old ways, I now bestow the blessing of the goddess upon you. The blessings of the goddess drift down from the heavens aloft a sail, which I now pass on to you."

Aria pulled the sailcloth she had made from her shoulders and handed it to Link. He stood up and held the sailcloth up to show it off to the watchers below.

"It smells good." Aria giggled and shook her head as Link sniffed the sailcloth.

"Good to know that I smell nice. But we still have to finish the ceremony. You know what happens next, right?" She grinned as he nodded. "Good, then go ahead and jump of the statue. Try to land in the circle, ok Link."

"I'm so glad that it's you up here and not Zelda. She would have pushed me." Aria laughed as Link jumped off the statue. She whistled for her Loftwing and landed at the base of the statue shortly after Link landed dead center.

"Great job. You make a perfect Hero. You know that it's said the goddess gave her hero a sailcloth too. Of course, mine's probably not as good as the one she made, but I put a lot of work into it. I knew you would win."

"It's awesome, thanks Aria."

"So, since it's a nice day, want to go flying with me? It's been a while since I've had any free time."

"Sure!"

"Race you!" Aria took off running and dove off the platform, Link was right behind her as they whistled for their Loftwings. The two friends sighed and smiled as they flew through the bright sky. "It's beautiful isn't it."

"Yeah." Link followed her gaze down towards the cloud barrier.

"Do you think that there really is land down there? Or is everyone right and there's nothing underneath the clouds?"

"Well, it would be a shame if there was nothing there. Maybe someday we can go look."

"I'd like that. I feel like there's something down there. Something that needs to be found." Link nodded.

"Then let's promise each other that we'll go look together once we're knights."

"Alright. When we're both knights, we'll go see if the Surface is real." Aria and Link smiled at each other before they started back towards Skyloft.

Their smiles soon fell as a black tornado appeared out of nowhere. Aria's eyes widened as it seemed to head right towards her.

"Link!" Aria yelled and reached out to her friend as she was torn from her Loftwing and pulled into the tornado.

"Aria!" Link flew after her, only to be knocked off his Loftwing and knocked out. Luckily, his Loftwing caught him as his limp body fell, and flew him back to Skyloft.

The last thing Aria saw before she blacked out was Link's Loftwing catching him as he fell. It relieved her to know that her best friend was going to be alright.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a very strange place. There were a lot of tall trees, multi-colored flowers, clouds drifted a long way above her and tiny, jewel like birds flittered around. Aria had never seen birds so small with such a wide variety of songs and calls. She smiled as she noticed little furry animals with long ears and cotton-like tails, and sleek gray animals that climbed trees and had long bushy tails.

As amazing as it was, she wondered how she was going to get back home. With a small sigh, Aria started walking through the woods. She figured that since there was land beneath the clouds, there had to be intelligent people there too.

She hummed a little song as she walked. She passed streams, clearings and small creatures that tried to disguise themselves as plants. Since the creatures seemed to be scared already, Aria pretended that she didn't see them and continued walking.

After a while, she came across a strange, red clad creature. It looked a bit like a pig, but walked like a man and held a sword. Aria smiled as she walked slowly towards it. He quickly noticed her and pointed his sword at her. She raised her hands to show she didn't have any weapons and stopped walking.

"It's alright, I don't mean you any harm. I'm just looking for a way back home." The creature tilted his head and slightly lowered his sword. The lack of fear and screaming confused him. "Do you know how to speak this language? Can you understand me?"

The creature grunted and shook his head at the first question but nodded at her second one. She smiled and nodded. By that time, the creature had lowered his sword so that the tip rested on the ground.

"Ok, can you read or write this language?" She sighed as he shook his head. "Oh well, do you know anyone who can speak, read or write my language? I really need to figure out how to get home."

The creature tilted his head to the other side and slowly nodded. She smiled at him as he shrugged and pulled out a horn. After blowing a sequence on the horn, the creature put the horn back in his bag and gestured for Aria to sit down.

"Thank you. My name's Aria." She sat down as the creature nodded and pointed to himself.

"Snortshiftle."

"Is that your name? Snortshiftle?" He nodded and smiled. Aria smiled back and held her hand out to him. He tilted his head and stared at her hand, clearly puzzled. Aria giggled. "It's a greeting where I come from. You clasp hands and shake them. Here, give me your hand and I'll show you."

Snortshiftle took her hand and she shook it. He scratched the back of his head with his other hand before shrugging and dropping her hand.

"What is going on here?" Aria smiled and stood up as a larger boar like man showed up. Snortshiftle grunted and snorted at the larger male, gesturing with his hands as he talked. The larger male grunted and nodded before looking back at Aria.

"I am sorry if you were busy, sir. I was hoping that someone would help me get back home."

"Name's General Brutus, leader of the Bokoblin forces in this area. Where is your home?" Aria smiled and pointed up.

"Nice to meet your General Brutus, I'm Aria. As for my home, it's in the sky. I fell and don't know how to get back home." He grunted and shook his head.

"Don't know how to get up there but my Lord might." General Brutus shrugged his shoulders as Snortshiftle snorted. "Our Lord is very busy right now, though."

"Oh, well, I can wait for him to have some free time. Is there anywhere I can stay until he has some time?" General Brutus scratched his head and nodded.

"You can stay with my troops for a while, I suppose." Aria smiled and followed General Brutus and Snortshiftle through the forest.


	2. Chapter 2

_"Link?" Link opened his eyes to find himself surrounded in darkness as he fell. A single bright spot showed above him, revealing a woman whose skin and hair were blue. Half of her outfit was blue while the rest was purple. In the center of her chest was a blue diamond outlined with gold cording and two golden stripes going down her tunic. Her arms were like cloth wings, and he didn't see her hands. She seemed to float above him in the light. "I am waiting for you. The time has come for you to awaken. You are vital to a mission of great importance. Link."_

_Suddenly, the woman turned into Aria and both were falling through the sky, Link facing downwards as Aria fell through the clouds. Link reached out to her as they screamed. His eyes widened in terror as a large black scaled monster opened its gigantic mouth with rows of razor sharp, sword length teeth, ready to devour Aria._

With a gasp, Link's eyes flew open and he sat up. It took him a few seconds to recognize where he was.

"Link! I'm so glad you're ok!" He blinked as Zelda threw herself at him.

"When your Loftwing carried you back, you were limp and unconscious. I feared the worst." Gaepora frowned as he pulled Zelda off Link. "Fortunately, you don't appear to have any serious injuries. For that much, we can be grateful."

"Link, what happened to Aria? She was flying with you, right?"

Link sighed and ran his hand down his face before telling Gaepora and Zelda what happened. Both of them were devastated to hear that Aria had disappeared.

"A black tornado, you say? Hmm. That was no ordinary storm."

"How could this happen?" Link frowned as Zelda started crying. "I know we didn't get along, but I want my sister back."

"Tell me, when you saw Aria today, did anything about her seem...off?"

"Not really, though we talked a bit about the surface. She said that she wanted to find out what was below the cloud barrier."

"I see. We'll send out search parties. As long as she's with her Loftwing I'm sure she'll be fine." Gaepora sighed, to Link, it looked like he had aged a decade overnight. Link started to get up, determined to look for his best friend. Gaepora stopped him. "You must not push yourself. You're still recovering."

"But, sir..."

"No, Link, rest. You can join the search once you've recovered." Gaepora lead Zelda out of the room. Zelda looked back at Link before she left the room. Link stared down at his hands for a few minutes after they left. Then he heard something, a voice calling to him, the same voice from his dream.

Link grabbed his sword, grabbed the blue rupee from his wardrobe and headed out the door. He saw the woman from his dream floating on the stairs. As soon as he started towards her, she flew up the stairs. He ran after her, right out of the Knight's Academy and into the night covered courtyard. He was briefly surprised when she disappear through the door without opening it.

He followed her across the campus, leapt off cliffs and fought a wild remlit. As he followed her, he came across a chest with a red rupee in it and stuck it in his pouch. He fought a Chuchu, pulled himself along a narrow ledge as he dangled below it, fought some kreese and another Chuchu, jumped off more cliffs, over gabs and climbed some vines. The whole time the woman floated just ahead of him.

They finally arrived at the foot of the Goddess statue and the woman disappeared into it. A doorway appeared where the woman disappeared and Link followed her inside. Once he was inside, he saw a silver sword that was glowing blue stuck in an altar. The woman had disappeared, only to reappear out of the sword as he approached.

"The one chosen by my creator. I have been waiting for you. You will play a role in a great destiny. According to your social customs, I should provide you with my personal designation. Fi is the name I was given. I was created for a single purpose, long before the recorded memory of your people. I must aid you in fulfilling the great destiny that is your burden to carry." She turned her head to look at the sword behind her. "Come Link. You must take up this sword. As the one chosen by my creator, it is your destiny."

"What do you mean, my destiny? Chosen of the goddess. You have the wrong person." Link shook his head. Goddesses and destinies could wait until he was sure that Aria was safe and back home.

"The strange dreams troubling your sleep. My sudden appearance. Uncertainty surrounding the fate of one you hold dear. Under the circumstances, it is only logical that you would exhibit some apprehension." He shook his head again. "To minimize your uncertainty, allow me to share some information. My projections indicate that this information has a high probability of altering your current emotional state. The one you seek, honorable Aria, is still alive."

"She's alive." Link smiled and breathed a relieved sigh.

"And this spirit maiden...the one you call Aria...is another chosen one fated to be part of the same great mission. Therefore, should you wish to meet with you friend, I highly recommend you take up this sword before you set out to search for her." Link's jaw dropped at the thought of Aria being part of a great mission. "Does that information invigorate you? Are you ready to accept this sword?"

"Aria." Link ran across the room to stand before the sword. Fi floated above the sword and smiled.

"It seems that further persuasive measures will not be required. In the name of my creator, draw the sword and raise it skyward." Link nodded and gripped the hilt of the sword. With a cleansing breath, he drew it from the altar and raised it high. The glow increased as Fi spoke. "Resignation complete, Master...Link...My master."

"Link!" Link looked back at the doorway to see Gaepora and Zelda standing there with shocked looks on their faces. "I've had my suspicions, but until now I wasn't sure. Yet here we are in the Chamber of the Sword, the very place where it was foretold the youth of legend would one day appear."

"Father, what do you mean?" Zelda looked back and forth between Fi, her father and Link. "What is this place?"

"It is said that this place was left to our people by the goddess herself. The very knowledge of this room's existence is a secret passed down to a select few each generation, along with a handful of words..." Gaepora cleared his throat. "When the light of the goddess's sword shines bright, the great apocalypse will wake from its long slumber. Do not fear, for it is then that a youth, guided by my hand, shall reveal himself in a place most sacred."

"Father?" Link held his hand up, signaling Zelda to let Gaepora finish talking.

"It started days ago. The sword that I've kept secret all these years...It began to give off a faint, otherworldly light. At first I was sure I was seeing things, here alone with the sword. There was simply no other explanation. I never dreamed the prophecy of legend would come to pass in my lifetime. The words I have sworn to keep secret are coming true before my very eyes." He looked down at Zelda. "In time, you and Aria would have taken my place guarding this sacred chamber."

"There's more to the legend, isn't there?" Gaepora nodded at Link.

"The youth will be guided by one born of the blade-one who is also youthful in likeness yet wise with knowledge immeasurable."

"Ah yes, the oral tradition, one of the least reliable methods of information retention and transmission." Link and Zelda hid their laughter as Gaepora frowned. "It appears that critical sections of the passage have been lost over the generations. The youth who draws forth the guiding sword shall be known as the goddess's chosen hero, and it is he who possesses an unbreakable spirit. He shall be burdened with the task of abolishing the shadow of apocalypse from the land. Such is his destiny. With the spirit of the blade at his side, he shall soar over the clouds and plummet below...And united with the spirit maiden, shall bring forth a piercing light that resurrects the land."

"Wait! Some of Daddy's old texts talk about a place called the surface! The old tales describe a whole world below, far more vast than Skyloft! Aria and I were fascinated with the old tales."

"Master, you must embark on a great journey beneath the clouds to the vast realm of the surface. It is only through this journey that you can fulfill the mission set before you by my creator, the goddess. It is also the only method available for you to reunite with the spirit maiden, honorable Aria." Link, Zelda and Gaepora stared at Fi with shocked expressions on their faces. Gaepora shook his head.

"This is no easy task, Link. The world below is a forsaken place, and to reach it you must pierce the cloud barrier below. In living memory, no one has ever done this." Fi raised her arms and with a flash of purple and blue lights, a stone tablet appeared and floated to Link.

"This tablet will illuminate a path through the clouds to the land below. Take it, and place it within the altar behind me." Link grabbed the floating tablet with the emerald embedded in it. "Master, the first thing you must do is hit the crest sitting in this room with a Skyward Strike. These blasts are formed of pure energy that charges within your blade when you lift it skyward. Once you have charged your blade, face the crest and swing your sword to send out a powerful Skyward Strike."

"Alright." Link nodded and place the tablet in the bottom right corner of the altar. After performing the Skyward Strike, a beam of light shot out of the Goddess Statue into the night sky. It fell into the cloud barrier and a beacon of green light pierced the clouds. Link placed the sword into his sheath and handed his old sword to Zelda.

"Master Link, it is done. Until now, a cloud barrier created by the goddess has separated the world you know from the one below. The tablet you placed in the altar has opened a small rift in the barrier. You can use it to travel through the clouds to the realm below. I have recognized you as my master, and so it is my duty to follow you wherever you may go. I reside within your sword and will accompany you in your travels. You may summon me whenever you require my assistance." Link nodded at Fi as she flipped into the air, turned into a bright blue light and disappeared into the sword.

"Link, listen a moment. The nature of the great apocalypse mentioned in the old texts is a complete mystery to me. But whatever it turns out to be, it seems that both you and Aria have big roles to play in the destiny of this land. Just think-if what this Fi says is true, Aria is alive! Alive and no doubt coming to terms with whatever it is the goddess has in store for her. Should you heed the call of destiny, I don't know what dangers you may have to face, Link. Especially down there...But if you've decided to brave the unknown, please find my daughter and bring her back to me." Gaepora looked down at Zelda, who was deep in thought as she held Link's old practice sword. "What we've seen here today defies explanation, but it is only the start of your journey. Please, see it through and prove the legends true."

"Of course, Headmaster. I will bring Aria back."

"You do your people proud, Link!"

"I'm going with you." Both Gaepora and Link looked over at Zelda. Her determined expression left little doubt that she was going to be stubborn.

"No, Zelda. This it is too dangerous for you to go." She shook her head.

"I have to go, Daddy. I have to help bring Aria back."

"Zelda, I don't want you to be in danger too." Link sighed as Zelda stomped her foot.

"It doesn't matter. I feel like I must go. Aria is my sister, Link. If something should happen to her, I don't want her last memories of me to be our arguments." Zelda sighed and a few tears streamed down her cheeks. "I don't know why I've been so mean to her, but I love my sister."

"Master." Fi flipped back out of her sword. "According to my calculations, there is a high probability that Zelda's aid will be necessary and may help advert the apocalypse in some way."

"Even if you try to leave me behind, I will follow." Link and Gaepora sighed and nodded.

"Alright, but Zelda, this is serious. If you prove to be too much of a distraction, I will tie you up and send you home." Zelda huffed but nodded. "And for the love of the goddess, please don't hang all over me. You and Aria are like sisters to me and I love you both, but I am not attracted to either of you."

"I know, Link." Zelda closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I am sorry for the way I've been acting. Most of the time, I'm not sure why I'm acting this way."

"Dawn is drawing near. It has been a long night of all of us, hasn't it? You both have a great journey before you and those clothes...They don't look up to the task."

"The uniform that Link was to receive for winning should be ready by now."

"A sturdy uniform like that will prove much more suitable for a long journey. You'd better change before you go. Zelda, you should change as well. Your mother's old uniform should fit you." Fi disappeared back into the sword as Link and Zelda nodded.

They left the chamber of the sword and back went back to the academy. Gaepora gave Zelda his wife's old knight uniform which consisted of light chainmail, a light blue tunic and long cap, tan pants, black boots, a brown belt, dark gray fingerless gloves and bracers, and a sheath that hooked onto her belt. Zelda pulled her hair back into a long braid, grabbed the sailcloth she had made when she had been chosen to play the part of the goddess, and joined Link and Gaepora in Link's room. He was dressed almost identically, but his tunic and cap were green and his sheath was across his back.

"That green uniform is what our knights will be wearing this year. To be honest, I've had my doubts about the color. But oddly enough, seeing you wear this uniform, I can't imagine a more fitting color for you. It's as though you were born to wear it." Gaepora looked down at Zelda. "You look so much like your mother in her uniform, Zelda."

"Thanks, Daddy." Zelda hugged Gaepora and he kissed the top of her head before she stepped back to stand next to Link.

"Take care on your journey, and be sure to stop by some of the shops at the bazaar here in town to equip yourselves properly for the travels ahead." Gaepora sighed and turned towards the door. "I will return to my quarters and see if I can glean more useful information from the ancient texts. You are always welcome to stop by if you have questions. You two and Aria shall be in my prayers. May the goddess watch over and guide all of you."

"We'll see you soon, Daddy."

"Don't worry, Headmaster. We'll bring Aria back." Gaepora nodded as he left the room. "Well, let's go, Zelda. I need a shield and we're going to need potions and provisions before we leave."

"Alright." Zelda hesitated for a second before she sighed. "Link, I really am sorry for how I've been acting. I just...I know it's hopeless, but I've loved you for a long time."

"I understand that, Zelda, and I love you like a sister. But you know I'm not interested in women and that's not going to change." Link patted her shoulder. "You know, Groose has loved you for a long time and Aria thinks that you two would be good together."

"No way. Groose is a bully." Zelda snorted and shook her head.

"It's his way of trying to get your attention, Zelda. Why do you think he's always on my case? He feels like I'm stealing you away from him."

"But I'm not his!" Link nodded as he led Zelda out of the room.

"Just like I'm not yours. But jealousy isn't rational and it can bring out the worst in anyone. Don't let jealousy rule you, Zelda." Link looked over his shoulder at her. "Aria loves you more than anyone else. She would do anything to make you happy. Don't push her away for something that isn't her fault."

"I'll try. I do love her and I miss my best friend." Zelda hung her head as she followed Link out of the academy and to the bazaar. "I'll make it up to her when we get her back."

"She'll forgive you, Zels."

"I hope so." They arrived at the bazaar just as it opened, so it didn't take them long to pick up their supplies. The other knights and trainees were just waking up as Link and Zelda leapt off the edge, whistled for their Loftwings, and headed for the green beacon in the sky. When their Loftwings refused to fly below the cloud barrier, they jumped into the beacon. As they passed the clouds and they saw the ground coming closer, they pulled out their sailcloths, which slowed them down enough to make a gentle landing in the middle of a forest.

While Zelda and Link were staring at their surroundings, a tall, slender woman with tan skin, red eyes, and white hair stood on top of a tree branch watching the two Hylians. Impa, the Sheikah that was appointed to watch over the reincarnation of her goddess, had not expected Her Grace to be traveling with her Hero as that was not in the plan that Hylia had told her of. She had not expected Her Grace to be wielding a sword either. She frowned as she watched the two nodded at each other and head out into the Faron Woods. Impa decided to only reveal herself if she needed to and just observe the pair at present. 


	3. Chapter 3

Aria sighed as she sat beside the fire pit at the Bokoblin's base, stirring the stew that Snortshiftle's wife, Swinney, had thrown together for the troops. She had already been there for three days and the Lord that General Brutus mentioned had not yet shown up. While she had enjoyed getting to know the few Bokoblins that could speak her language and helping Swinney and the other female Bokoblins with the cooking, she missed her father, her sister, and Link.

Swinney, unlike her husband, knew the basics of her language and was eager to learn more of it in exchange for translating for the others. Aria and Swinney had grown to be good friends over the three days since she had arrived and Swinney made sure that the unmarried Bokoblin males didn't bother Aria. As Swinney had explained, the males of her race could be rather boorish when they were single and there was a shortage of females.

"Aria." She smiled up at Swinney, who had just returned from gathering some more vegetables to add to the stew. "General Brutus ask you to come. He say there much important talking to do."

"Thank you, Swinney. Am I supposed to go to his quarters?" Swinney shook her head.

"No, you go to big house. Lord back and General Brutus say you come meet Lord." Aria grinned, jumped to her feet and hugged her friend.

"I'll head right over! Thank you again!" Swinny laughed and shoed her away as she sat down to deal with the vegetables.

"See me when done. Want to hear everything." Aria nodded before taking off at a run. She was glad that she had washed and changed back into her own clothes that day. As nice as the Bokoblins had been, their clothes were too small for her. Even though she was shorter than most of the women on Skyloft, she as only 5' 6" tall and two inches shorter than Link who was short for a man, she was still taller than her Bokoblin friends by at the most four inches.

Aria smiled as she stood in front of the large, white house and knocked on the door. While she waited for the door to open, she smoothed her hair down and brushed some dirt from her skirt. After a minute, the door opened revealing General Brutus.

"Good evening, General Brutus." He smiled and nodded as he waved her into the house.

"Good evening, Lady Aria. My Lord has arrived and has the evening free." He sighed a bit and shook his head. "I would like to warn you about my Lord. He is not in the best mood. I would suggest just letting him rant if he starts."

"Please, General, just call me Aria, and thank you for the advice." She tilted her head and frowned slightly. "Is there anything I can do to help calm your Lord down?"

"If there is, I don't know it." Aria followed General Brutus down the long, white hallway to an open door. He knocked on the frame and bowed. "My Lord, Lady Aria, the girl I informed you of, has arrived."

"Well, send her in. Don't make me wait." The silvery voice that answered was almost musical to Aria's ears. General Brutus stood up and moved out of the doorway, waving Aria into the room.

She smiled at the extremely tall, willowy, but well-built man who stood in front of the fireplace. His shiny, short, white hair fell over the left side of his face, almost hiding the black diamond mark on his cheek. His obsidian eyes were underlined with purple and his perfect lips were as white as his hair. His smooth skin was an intriguing shade of pale grayish-tan. A large blue diamond dangled from his long, pointed right ear.

Aria was fascinated with his outfit as well. The tight, white clothes left little to the imagination, especially with the diamond shapes cut out over his chest, stomach, and down his legs. Even his elbow length gloves had diamonds cut out of them. The only colors to his outfit were the gold sash held in place with a red diamond over his right hip, the gold arm band around the upper part of his right arm, and the blood red cloak with the blood red and gold diamonds on the inside that was draped over his shoulders. His thin, white, right eyebrow lifted as they studied each other.

"My Lord, this is Lady Aria. Lady Aria, this is Demon Lord Ghirahim." Aria smiled again as she held her hand out to Ghirahim.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Ghirahim. Please, just call me Aria." Ghirahim took her hand and kissed her knuckles.

"The pleasure is mine, Aria. Such a civil greeting. I had not expected to receive such a pleasant greeting from one of the goddess's people." Aria tilted her head and frowned at the way he snarled as he said the word goddess as she gently pulled her hand from his.

"I'm sorry, but do you not like the goddess?" He growled and stalked to the window of the room, which appeared to be a library.

"Thinking of that...that bitch fills me with fury! Outrage! She makes me sick with anger!" Aria could hear him gritting his teeth as he spat out his words. "She sealed my master after committing the most heinous of crimes! Then she reincarnated herself into a mortal and hid herself among the clouds!"

Aria wished she had something to protect herself with as the very air in the library seemed to grow darker with Ghirahim's rage. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw General Brutus slip out of the room.

"I need Hylia's reincarnation to free my master! The tornado I sent should have brought her down, but I haven't see a single strand of the Spirit Maiden's golden hair anywhere! The spell was triggered, she has to be down here, but I am not able to find her!" Aria could feel the rage pouring off Ghirahim like waves. She wasn't sure why, but she found herself pulling the harp out of her pouch and started playing the song she used to play for Zelda when she was upset. The soothing lullaby was soft at first and Ghirahim missed it as he ranted and paced.

However, by the second stanza of the song, Ghirahim had fallen quiet. By the third stanza, Ghirahim started singing along with the harp, his rich baritone voice added a new depth to the song, though he sang in a language that sounded familiar but one that she didn't know. It wasn't the same language as the Bokoblins, that much she knew. Ghirahim was smiling by the time they finished playing and singing the song.

"I'm sorry, my dear. I let my temper get the best of me."

"It's alright. I can understand that you're upset, but I don't think that Hylia's reincarnation came down here. Unless you're talking about a different tornado than the one that pulled me here." Ghirahim tilted his head as he studied the auburn-haired, gray-blue eyed woman before him again. "I don't want to upset you, but who is this Spirit Maiden and what did Hylia do? Maybe I can help."

"You would help someone who hates your goddess?"

"If she really did something that bad, then she isn't the benevolent goddess that we thought she was."

"Very well." He gestured for Aria to take the window seat as he settled in a white leather chair. "Thousands of years ago, the three golden goddesses, Farore, Din, and Nayru, created this world and the different plants, animals, and races that populated it. The first race they created was the Demon race. We were created to protect the planet from outside attack."

"Outside attack?"

"There are other worlds, realms, and dimensions. Some of the people in those places are not satisfied with ruling just their worlds. Demons were created to keep these people in their own worlds and out of ours." Ghirahim smirked a bit. "We basically live forever unless we're killed. The three goddesses made us stronger and almost immortal as we are less prolific than the other races. Anyway, after Farore, Din and Nayru finished creating the planet, they left two young goddesses in charge of the world. Hylia, who was tasked with protecting the Triforce and with keeping the peace among the races, and Lylira, who had the task of helping soulmates find each other."

"Wait, I've heard of Hylia, but I've never heard of Lylira."

"That's because Hylia erased her from the minds of the other races." Ghirahim scowled and shook his head. "Lylira was beloved by all who met her for her kind heart and her ability to recognize when two people were soulmates. But no one loved her more than my master, the Demon King Demise. She was his soulmate."

"Why would Hylia erase Lylira? And what do you mean, was his soulmate?"

"From what my master told me, Hylia had proposed a marriage between the two of them to seal the alliance between the Demons and the other races. However, Master Demise had just met his soulmate, Lylira, a few weeks before and would not accept her proposal. He made the mistake of telling Hylia that he had met his soulmate and would be taking her as his mate within the week."

"So, did Hylia seal Lylira too?"

"No." Ghirahim sighed and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his thighs. "No, what she did was much worse. You see, Master Demise didn't tell her who his soulmate was. So, she went to Lylira to find out. Master Demise arrived about an hour after he had left Hylia to see her thrust the sword that Lylira had made for him through her back."

"No." Aria's eyes filled with tears.

"Yes, but that wasn't the worst part. The sword that Lylira fashioned for Master Demise was not a normal sword, but a sword with a spirit in it." His sorrowful obsidian eyes met her stormy gray-blue eyes. "The new spirit of the sword was awakened to see his creator with his own blade through her back. Master Demise removed the sword and Lylira's final words were of her love for Demise and a plea for him not to blame me for what Hylia had used me for."

"You're the sword spirit?" Ghirahim nodded as a few tears streamed down Aria's face. "How could she do that? How could she be so selfish? What about Demise, what did he do after that?"

"He waged war on Hylia and all those who supported her. His goal was to retrieve the Triforce and use it to bring Lylira back to life. He was a good master to me and he never blamed me for killing his soulmate. We had almost won when Hylia decided to send your race into the sky and hid them as well as the Triforce, she then banded together with the other races. She gave up her immortality to seal Master Demise." Aria reached over and patted his clenched fist. He sighed and ran his other hand through his hair.

"Why do you need her reincarnation and who is her reincarnation?"

"With the correct spell, I can use the soul of the spirit maiden to awaken and resurrect my master. Master Demise will absorb her soul and be free to complete his quest to bring Lylira back. As for who the Spirit Maiden is, I believe she is called Zelda." Aria gasped and shook her head in disbelief.

"No, no, no. Please tell me it's not true." Ghirahim raised his brow as Aria's face turned ghostly white. "Is there no other way to resurrect King Demise, my Lord? Must you use Zelda's soul?"

"The spell requires the soul of someone incredibly powerful. Zelda's soul, as it is Hylia's soul, is not only powerful, but it is also a fitting punishment for her crimes."

"What about my soul? Would it be an acceptable substitute?" Ghirahim's eyes widened as Aria slid off the window seat and knelt before him. "If my soul will work, please use me instead. Please don't go after Zelda."

"You would give up your soul for her? Why, after what Hylia has done..."

"Zelda is not Hylia. They may have the same soul, but they are different people and Zelda would never kill or seal someone. Please, Lord Ghirahim, use me if you can, just don't harm my sister. Let me right the wrong her first incarnation committed in her stead."

"You are unique among your race, Aria. It fills my heart with rainbows to meet such a selfless Hylian. From what I have witnessed, there are very few people willing to sacrifice themselves to save another. Those knights of yours will fight to save others, but they are not willing to lay down their arms and die to protect others." Ghirahim stared down into her tear-filled eyes as he opened his senses to examine her soul. The innocence and love in her soul were offset by the courage and the strength of her convictions. He could sense an untouched depth of power sleeping in her soul. How much power she held, he couldn't determine. "There is power sleeping within you. However, as you are now, your soul won't be strong enough to resurrect my master."

"Then I won't be able to save my sister?" Ghirahim felt his heart clench as the young woman buried her face in her hands. Though she wasn't loud, he could feel the sorrow radiate off her as her shoulder shook with her tears.

"I didn't say that, Aria. I said as you are right now, your soul won't work. There is a way to awaken the power in your soul. Since my spell plucked you from the sky instead of your sister, if your power is awakened, your soul should work." Aria tipped her tear streaked face up to meet Ghirahim's eyes. He gently wiped the tears from her pale cheeks. "If you are determined to do this, we must purify your soul in two sacred springs and pray to the three goddess statues in the temples of each region of the surface. Bathing in the springs blessed by the three golden goddesses and praying to the goddess statues will awaken your power."

"Then we should go." Ghirahim chuckled as she stood up. There was just something that he found familiar and likable about the enthusiastic young woman.

"Relax, Aria, the day is almost over. The first spring is about a half a day's journey from here and as much as I would like to just teleport us there, it uses a lot of energy to take someone with me. I would rather conserve my power until I need it."

"I suppose one more night won't make too much of a difference. I just don't want Link to find me and try to stop me."

"Link? Who's Link?" Aria smiled a bit as she thought of her best friend. She thought Link and Ghirahim would make a cute couple and there was something in the way Ghirahim spoke and moved that was just a touch feminine. She felt they would be good for each other.

"Link is my best friend. Zelda, Link and I used to do everything together, though he's been spending more time with me the last few years. Zelda's been way too pushy in pursuing her futile crush on him." Ghirahim raised a brow as Aria grinned mischievously at him. "You know, I think you and Link would make a cute couple."

"Now why would you think that?"

"Just a feeling. Sadly, Link's still single due to the lack of men on Skyloft who like other men."

"I highly doubt he would be interested in dating the man who sacrificed his best friend to resurrect his master." Aria sighed and nodded.

"I know and that's just so sad. You two would balance each other out. Link needs someone to pull him out of his shell. Hmm, maybe if I left him a letter explaining why I had to do this." Ghirahim shook his head as he opened a desk drawer and handed her a piece of parchment, a quill and a jar of ink. "I'll leave the letter at the first spring for him. That way when he comes down here looking for me he'll eventually find it."

"You're sure that he's going to make it down here to look for you?" Aria grinned as she nodded.

"Of course he will, Link isn't the type to give up when his friends are in danger." She chuckled and shook her head as she leaned over the desk and wrote her letter to Link. "He was constantly pulling Zelda and me out of one scrape or another when we were kids. He even saved our lives one time when we almost fell off the edge of Skyloft. We were only seven at the time and Link was eight. Link's been our hero ever since, though he swears I'm going to give him a heart attack one of these days."

"Sounds like you three are close."

"Well, Link and I are really close. He's like a big brother to me and he thinks of Zelda and me as sisters. But for the last six years, Zelda and I haven't been very close." Aria sighed and shook her head. "It doesn't matter though. Zelda's my sister and I will do anything to keep her safe. She may not like me much right now, but I will always love her."

"She's lucky to have such a caring sister." Aria smiled as she gently blew on the ink to dry it. Once it was dry, she carefully folded it and wrote Link's name on it.

"Lord Ghirahim, there is a chance that Link will still try to come after me even though I don't want him to. Please, promise me that you won't hurt him or my sister."

"There will be no need to harm them. I am not one for senseless violence. Though I will defend myself if he won't listen to reason."

"I wouldn't expect anything less. I will meet you back here in the morning, then."

"Nonsense, dear girl. You're more than welcome to take the guest room while we're here." Ghirahim wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her to a large bedroom.

"I need to let Swinney know. I've been staying with her and her husband, Snortshiftle, for the last three days and we've become good friends. I can't just disappear without letting her know." Ghirahim nodded and smiled down at Aria.

"Then I'll escort you there and back."

"Thank you, Lord Ghirahim. Thank you for everything."

"It is I who should be thanking you, Aria. Please, call me Ghirahim." She smiled back at him as they left his house. While she was sorry that she wouldn't be able to see her family or friends again, she was happy that she could keep her sister safe and correct the wrong done so many centuries ago. She just hoped that King Demise would spare her people in his quest to bring his soulmate back to life.    


	4. Chapter 4

Four days had passed since Link and Zelda first traveled to the surface in search of Aria. On the first day, they had come across a deep pit with a spike at the bottom. Link had another vision of the huge scaled monster he had seen devour Aria in his dream. After snapping out of the vision, Fi had Link jump down and deliver Skyward Strike to the spike. This opened the door to the temple that stood next to the pit.

Before they entered the temple, Fi told them that she had a drowsing ability that would help them find things on the surface and that she registered Aria as a drowsing figure. They had met an old woman in the temple who wasn't able to tell them much as she hadn't seen Aria. However, she did help them get a Revitalizing potion from another room.

After leaving the temple, they come across a Goron named Gorko who was surrounded by Bokoblins. Link and Zelda quickly rescued the rock-like man who told them that he had seen a female like Zelda heading deeper into the forest with a couple of Bokoblins the day before. He also told them about the bird statues that he had found all over the land. Link and Zelda managed to activate the one near the Sealed Temple before they headed deeper into the woods.

The second day of their quest brought them into the Kikwi's part of the woods. They rescued a Kikwi, Machi, from some Bokoblins, but ended up spending the entire day chasing it around, talking with the Kikwi Elder, Bucha, and searching for the other missing Kikwis, Lopsa, Erla, and Oolo. They were rewarded for this with a slingshot and a bag of seeds as well as confirmation that Aria had been seen walking with two Bokoblins deeper into the woods.

Link and Zelda weren't really surprised to hear that Aria was walking with the Bokoblins. It wasn't the first time that she had tried to befriend a monster. They were surprised to hear that she seemed at ease with the Bokoblins and that they hadn't seemed to be threatening her.

The third day, Link and Zelda entered the deep woods and again had to fight off a bunch of Bokoblins. The rest of the day was spent fighting monsters, walking across tight ropes, shooting down hornet's nests, and listening to Gorko talk about the goddess cubes that they found. Once Gorko left, Link used a Skyward Strike on the goddess cube and headed towards the temple where the drowsing ability was leading them.

As it was getting late and they were running low on supplies, Link, Zelda and Fi agreed to use the bird statue near the Skyview Temple to head home for the night and head into the temple the next day. Once they activated the bird statue, a strong gust of wind swept them into the air, above the cloud barrier. They whistled for their Loftwings and headed straight for the bazaar to stock up.

The morning of the fourth day started with Fi having the two friends run all over Skyloft looking for chest, items and reporting into Gaepora. He was happy to see that Link and Zelda were getting along, that they had found out that Aria was still alive and seemed well, and that Zelda was taking the mission seriously. Though he was disappointed that they hadn't found her or brought her home with them. By the time they arrived back at the Skyview Temple, the morning was half gone.

It took Link and Zelda a minute to figure out that they had to hit the pink diamond above the temple door to open it. By the time the two of them reached the large golden doors, they were exhausted from fighting, solving puzzles, swinging and dangling from ropes, and finding keys and treasures. The Beetle they found came in handy quite a few times as they explored the temple.

After a short rest, Link and Zelda opened the golden doors, expecting another fight. They were surprised to find that the room was empty except for some pots, a heart container and another set of doors with a piece of parchment attached to it.

"Master, Zelda, Aria's presence is already fading. It appears that we were too late to catch her." Link and Zelda sighed as they crossed the room to the other set of doors. They paused to collect the heart container and checked the pots for things, luckily, they found several hearts and were fully healed.

"Link." Zelda held the parchment out to him as he sheathed his sword. "It's addressed to you."

"Thanks." He opened the letter and scanned it briefly before groaning and handing it back. "Well, this makes things harder."

_Dear Link,_

_I'm sure you're wondering what's going on and why you haven't caught up to me. Well, I'm sorry to say that I can't go back home. A lot has happened and I've learned that our goddess, Hylia, was not as benevolent as we thought. I'm helping someone right the wrong that Hylia committed. Please don't look for me. I know you're going to anyway, but I wish you wouldn't. I want you to go back home and keep Zelda safe for me._

_Tell Zelda and Daddy that I love them and always will, but this is something I must do. Perhaps someday you'll understand why I chose this route. Stay safe, Link._

_Love,_

_Aria_

"What does she mean, she's helping someone right the wrong Hylia committed?" Zelda frowned. "And why would I need to be protected?"

"I don't know, Zelda, but Aria must be up to something dangerous or she wouldn't have asked me to stay out of it." Link dragged a hand down his face and sighed. "We'll just have to keep following her."

"Wait." Link and Zelda jumped and a strict female voice echoed through the temple room. They turned to see a tall woman with pale blonde hair standing behind them. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she stared at the with hard crimson eyes.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Link pulled his sword out and stood protectively in front of Zelda, who had her sword out as well.

"Relax, boy, if I had intended any harm, I would have done something during the four days I've been following you." The woman looked towards Zelda and bowed. "Your Grace, it is a pleasure to meet you again. I am Impa, servant of who you used to be."

"What do you mean, who I used to be?" Zelda tilted her head as she sheathed her sword. Link lowered his sword but didn't relax his guard. He wasn't sure he could trust the strange woman. Impa nodded with approval at this, knowing that Link was taking his duty to keep Her Grace safe.

"Things have not gone exactly as you had planned, Your Grace. Your hero was supposed to go on his own quest while you attended to yours with me, however, I can tell the young man isn't going to let you go off on your own." She smiled slightly. "This speaks well of his bravery and loyalty."

"What are you talking about? We're just here to get Aria back." Impa frowned slightly and tilted her head.

"Who is Aria?"

"She's my sister. A black tornado tore her from her Loftwing and we need to find her and take her home."

"Sister? There was not supposed to be a sister." Impa shook her head and started pacing. "And you say that she was taken?"

"Yes, she left us this note saying that she had to right a wrong that Hylia committed and asked us not to look for her." Link snorted and shook his head. "Like we would just leave her down her with some stranger that needs her help."

"What do you mean, there wasn't supposed to be a sister?" Zelda narrowed her eyes and glared at Impa as she tapped her foot. "And why do you keep calling me Your Grace?"

"Something is not right here. Come, Your Grace, you need to bathe in the sacred water and pray before the goddess statues to unlock some of your memories. Perhaps then we will know what has changed your plans."

"Now just hold it..."

"Master, my calculations indicate that the one called Impa is telling the truth. It would be best to do as she requests." Link sighed as Fi appeared and started prancing around the room. "It seems that Aria has already bathed in the sacred waters, prayed to the goddess statue, and gone. If we are to catch up to her, we do not have time to argue."

"The hero will remain out here while Her Grace bathes."

"No way, Link is staying with me."

"Your Grace that is highly improper..." Zelda shook her head.

"There's nothing improper about it. Link is my best friend and it's nothing he hasn't seen before." Link chuckled and shook his head at the mischievous grin on Zelda's face and the bright blush on Impa's.

"Relax, Impa, Zelda is completely safe with me."

"But a man and a woman should never...not unless they're married..."

"Link would never try anything inappropriate with me." Zelda laughed a bit bitterly while Link shrugged his shoulders. He was glad that she was finally admitting that there could never be anything between them, though he hated hurting her feelings. "Link isn't interested in women."

"Oh...well...that's...unexpected." Impa's blush deepened. Under her breath, almost too low for the others to hear she added. "It a bit disappointing too. Such a waste of a good-looking man."

"I know, right." Zelda giggled as Link blushed and scratched the back of his neck.

"Ok, let's just get going. The longer we stand here talking, the further away Aria is getting." The two women exchanged a look and a smirk before they followed Link through the golden doors that led to the sacred spring.

Once inside, Fi drew Link's attention to the statue of the goddess as Zelda disrobed and slid into the spring. As she bathed and prayed, she was drawn into a vision.

Zelda watched in silence as the scene unfolded before her. This vision wasn't a memory, for there was no sense of a view point. Instead, it was as if she were watching not only a scene from a play but as if the scene was being narrated to her, filling in the details that she wouldn't have known if it had been a memory.

Zelda's Vision

_"How dare he refuse me!" Hylia scowled as she stormed out of her chambers. Her stunning features marred in anger as she strode down the hallway to Lylira's forge. Lylira had been cooped up in her workroom for weeks working on something. If there was one person who would have the knowledge she needed, it was Lylira. "There's still time. If I can just get Demise's soulmate out of the way, he'll be mine as he should be."_

_Hylia paused outside Lylira's forge and took a deep breath to calm herself. Lylira had always been sensitive to her moods and would worry if she were upset. After her anger had subsided, Hylia forced a smile on her lips and entered the forge. Her smile became more genuine as she watched Lylira hold a finished sword up to the light. It was a massive, black sword with spiked edges. The pommel held a red jewel and there was an upside down Triforce at the base of the blade._

_She was singing the song of healing softly as she polished the sword almost lovingly as though she were bathing her own child. Hylia shook her head before clearing her throat. Lylira smiled as she looked over at Hylia and gently placed the finished sword on a crimson pillow. She stretched before crossing the room._

_"Sister! It's so good to see you!" Lylira hugged Hylia before grasping her hands. "You've been so busy that I feel as though I haven't seen you in ages."_

_"Hello, Lylira." Hylia laughed as her younger twin spun them in a circle. "I've missed you too."_

_"Well, sit down and I'll get some tea. I have so much to tell you!" The golden-haired goddess nodded and watched her auburn-haired twin make the tea and set the table._

_"Shouldn't you move the sword, Lylira?"_

_"Oh, Ghirahim will be fine where he is."_

_"Ghirahim?"_

_"The soul of the sword. The poor demon was fatally wounded in the last battle with the Stratoskullians from the Gorganox system. It was his first battle too, but he fought with such bravery and skill that I couldn't just let him die." Lylira smiled sweetly as she stroked the blade. "He prayed for another chance at life as he hadn't met his soulmate yet. I offered to forge him into a sword as I couldn't heal his body."_

_"I see. Will he remember his past life as a demon?"_

_"Oh yes, of course. Though the memories of his old life will fade over time as all memories do. He's in a sleeping state right now, adjusting to his new form. He's such a dear young man, I would like to think of him as a son." Lylira eyes shone with happiness as she poured the tea for the two of them. "But I have some more exciting news, Hylia."_

_"Well, tell me." Hylia squashed the bit of impatience she felt down and smiled. She knew that she would have to pick her timing just right to get the information she needed from Lylira._

_"I've met my soulmate! Isn't that wonderful!" It took a lot of effort for Hylia to keep the smile on her face. "Oh, sister, I've never been so happy. I never thought I would find my other half so soon."_

_"So, what's he like?"_

_"He's tall, dark and dreamy." She sighed as she blushed and stared distractedly into the distance. "I love his flaming hair, his molten golden eyes, his black scales and claws, his fanged smile, and his dignified personality. Oh, Hylia, Demise is so perfect and romantic. When we met, he told me he wanted to woo me like I should be before we bond."_

_Hylia's fist clenched around the handle of the tea cup as Lylira waxed on poetically about Demise and how sweet and romantic he was. Lylira was so wrapped up in her daydreams that she didn't notice her when Hylia stood up and circled around behind her. Nor did she notice when Hylia grasped the hilt of the Demon Sword and lift him from his pillow._

_The hatred and jealousy she was feeling blinded Hylia from everything but the sword in her hands and the woman who was stealing her intended. She failed to notice when the door to the forge swung open, she thrust the blade through her sister's back just as she stood up to greet someone._

_"H...Hylia..." The golden-haired goddess stared down at her sister as Demise froze in disbelief in the doorway. "W...why?"_

_"He was supposed to be mine." Hylia was startled from her trance-like state as Demise let out a roar of anger and sorrow. Just as he started for her, she teleported out of the forge. In a flurry of diamonds, a tall, slender demon appeared. Tears fell from the new demon's obsidian eyes as he shook his head and fell to the floor._

_"Ly...Lylira." He stared at the tip of the blade that was sticking out of her chest. "Creator...mother...what have I done?"_

_Demise fell to his knees next to his soulmate and the white-haired demon before he quickly drew the sword out of her. The spikes along the edges tore her flesh even more as the sword was removed. Both Demise and Ghirahim winced as her hot blood splattered on them._

_"Lylira, hold on. We'll get you fixed up." Demise gathered her into his arm while still holding the sword._

_"D...Demise. I'm...so...sorry."_

_"Sh, save your strength." Lylira coughed up some blood as she shook her head._

_"P...promise m...me. Don't bl...blame Ghirahim. I...made him...for you. Please...take care of him...for me." She weakly closed her hand around the hilt of the sword as she looked over at the young demon sword spirit. "Ghira...him, please...don't blame...yourself...this...isn't your...fault."_

_"I promise, my goddess, I'll take care of Ghirahim for you. I love you."_

_"I...lo...love y...you too, Dem...mi..."_

_Demise and Ghirahim roared out in heartbreak as the light faded from Lylira's stormy, gray-blue eyes. Zelda barely felt the tears streaming down her cheeks as the scene faded. She would never have believed that Hylia would murder anyone, let alone her own twin. While she may not always get along with her sister, Zelda would never try to kill her. She loved her too much to even contemplate such a sickening thing._

Zelda opened her eyes to the real world and scrubbed the tears from her cheeks. Link was holding a ruby tablet like the emerald one he had received inside the goddess statue and was leaning against the wall talking quietly with Impa while Fi danced around the room. She quickly got out of the water, dried off and pulled her clothes back on before joining them.

"Well, I never thought I would dislike the goddess so much." Impa's jaw dropped and Link raised an eyebrow as Zelda sat down.

"Your Grace?" Zelda shook her head.

"I still don't know why you're calling me that, but just call me Zelda."

"So what did you see?"

"Hylia murdered her twin sister because she wanted her sister's soulmate. She literally stabbed her in the back with the sword that she made for her soulmate, some demon named Demise."

"What?! That can't be!" Impa shook her head in confusion. "I've never heard of Hylia having a sister, let alone that she wanted Demise! Demise is the Demon King she fought and sealed away to protect us."

"Well, obviously she lied to everyone. It makes me sick to know that she would murder her younger twin sister like that. If Aria learned of this, she would try to break the seal. There's nothing she hates more than an injustice. But that still doesn't explain why you're calling me Your Grace or why Aria was taken in the first place."

"If you didn't remember, then we will have to go to the second spring. I can't tell you any more until you start remembering yourself. But we can't let her break the seal. If Demise is released, he will slaughter everyone who stands in his way."

"Where is the other spring? If Aria was at this spring, then she may be headed to the second one as well."

"The second spring is in the Earth Temple on the Elden Volcano. I calculate that if we hurry we may catch up to Aria." Fi stopped dancing and stood next to Link. "We must take the tablet to the Chamber and activate the beacon to Elden Volcano."

"Then let's go. We don't want to take too much time or we'll never catch up to Aria." Zelda led the way back out to the bird statue while Impa told them that she would meet them at the Earth Temple.

"I wonder who it is that Aria is traveling with and what they are planning." Link sighed. "I hope she's alright."

"Me too, Link. Me too." The two friends nodded at each other as they activated the bird statue and were launched into the sky. As always, their Loftwings caught them and they soared through the evening sky towards Skyloft.


	5. Chapter 5

Ghirahim held Aria as she wept with sorrow and anger. While she didn't tell him about the vision she had when she bathed and prayed in the Skyview Spring, her resolve to free Demise and to keep her sister safe grew. She just wished there was a way to separate Hylia's soul from Zelda's body so that the goddess could pay for her crimes. Zelda shouldn't have to pay the price for the sins of her previous incarnation.

After about fifteen minutes, Aria pulled away from Ghirahim and wiped the tears from her cheeks. He found himself smiling at the young Hylian woman's courage and fortitude. As delicate as she appeared, she was also a great asset to his mission and an entertaining companion.

"Your soul has grown vastly more powerful, Aria." She smiled at him before they both sensed three new people enter the temple. She closed her eyes and focused on the feeling.

"Link, Zelda, and an unknown person have entered the temple. The thread of fate intertwines the three people, though they are not connected." Aria smirked and shook her head as she traced the threads of fate connected to her sister and Link.

Link's thread was crimson, forest green, and white weaved together in an intricate braid, one end of the thread encircled Link while the other encircled Ghirahim. It curled around the two men, cradling them like lovers and blazing with passion and love. She had faintly felt this way before when she helped those on Skyloft with their relationships. The same feeling that she got from Zelda and Groose. It was a rare and precious feeling; one that Aria always took care to nurture.

She giggled slightly as she followed the gold, blue and white braid from Zelda to Groose, still up in Skyloft. Their thread, though strained and worn, was just as beautiful as Ghirahim and Link's thread. She only hoped that Zelda would give Groose a chance when they returned home, though it saddened her to know that Link and Ghirahim might not meet. She opened her eyes as Ghirahim rested his hand on her shoulder.

"Do you want to wait and see them, Aria?" She shook her head even as she gazed wistfully at the golden door.

"No, if I see them, they would try to intervene." Ghirahim nodded and gently squeezed her shoulder.

"I'll have to teleport us out of here. We would surely run into them if we went back through the temple."

"But won't that drain your energy? I don't want you to put yourself in danger, Ghirahim." He chuckled and pulled her tight to his side.

"It fills my heart with sunshine and rainbows to have your concern, Aria, but we'll be heading back to my mansion for the night. By morning I'll have fully recovered and we will leave for the Earth Spring."

"How long will it take to get there?"

"If we were walking the whole way, it would be about three weeks. However, I will be teleporting us to the base of the volcano where I have another Bokoblin base set up. Once I've my strength back, it shouldn't take more than two or three days to reach the spring."

"Why not just teleport to the Bokoblin base at the volcano, then?"

"It's too far. I had the Bokoblin camps sent up just within teleporting distance from each other." Ghirahim frowned as the three people drew closer to the spring. "They are traveling through the temple faster than I thought possible. We need to go, take a deep breath and hold it until we're back at the camp."

Aria nodded and took a deep breath as Ghirahim snapped his fingers. It was a strange feeling to be formless and while it only took a few seconds, it felt like hours to Aria. Ghirahim stumbled as they reformed in his library and Aria struggled to steady him as they crossed the room to the large chair behind the desk.

"I'll be alright." He smiled at Aria and watched the worried look ease a bit. "By morning I'll be fine and ready to go."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" He shook his head.

"Not really, though I wouldn't mind hearing you play and sing a song." She smiled as she pulled the harp out, closed her eyes and started playing.

 _"Day to night, dark to light,_  
Fall the sands of time.  
Let the years like the gears  
Of a clock unwind  
  
In your mind walk through time  
Back to better days.  
Memories, like a dream,  
Wash tears away.  
  
Like a star in the sky,  
Darkness can't reach you  
Light the night, joy is light,  
Till the new dawn.  
  
Cast away your old face  
Let go your spite,  
With this mask I'll ask  
To borrow your light"

Ghirahim raised a brow at the pale mint green power that surrounded Aria as she sang and played the vaguely familiar song. With each note and word, the power grew until it encased the room, taking his fatigue and replacing it with renewed strength.

"Aria, where did you learn that song?" She tilted her head as she opened her eyes.

"At the spring, while I was praying." She shook her head. "I'm not sure why I saw what I did, but the woman in the vision sang that song as she worked on making a sword. I could feel the love and care she put into creating the sword. It was as if the sword was her child."

"What else happened in the vision." She shook her head.

"I would rather not talk about it." She sighed as Ghirahim glared at her. "It's nothing to worry about, honest. The vision just confirmed what you told me about Hylia, that's all."

"You saw Lylira?" Aria nodded and sighed at the sorrow in Ghirahim's eyes.

"She really loved you like a son, Ghirahim. She felt such great sorrow knowing that you would blame yourself."

"Who wouldn't blame me. If I hadn't prayed to Lylira and begged her to save me for the sake of my future soulmate, she may have lived."

"You can't blame yourself. She never did and she would have made the same choices if she could have done it all over again. The only one to blame was Hylia. She was the one who committed the crime, not you." Aria rested her hand on his clenched fist. He wanted to believe that Lylira hadn't blamed him, but it was difficult to believe. "I felt what she felt, Ghirahim, and the only thing she felt towards you was the love of a mother."

"Thank you." Ghirahim closed his eyes and sighed. "Demise kept telling me that it wasn't my fault, but I felt there should have been something I could have done."

"There was nothing you could have done, Ghirahim. You hadn't woken from your sleep until it was too late. We'll fix things. We'll resurrect King Demise and then you can find the Triforce to bring Lylira back."

"It is a shame that you'll have to sacrifice yourself to resurrect my master." Ghirahim opened his eyes and rested his free hand on her soft hair. "I hope that the Spirit Maiden appreciates how much you love her."

"I'm sure she does, deep down inside." She squeezed his hand. "And it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Not only for my sister, but for you, King Demise, and Lylira as well."

Ghirahim nodded and stood up, bringing Aria to her feet. He led her out of the library and down to the dining room where some Bokoblins were waiting with their evening meal.

"Let's put these thoughts on hold for the night and enjoy the evening. It isn't often I am able to have an intelligent conversation with someone. As loyal as the Bokoblins are, they don't set much store in knowledge." Ghirahim smirked as Aria giggled.

"True, but they are fun to watch and some of them are more intelligent than the others."

"I completely agree. It is vastly amusing to see them fight over who is the most skilled hunter and who is the strongest warrior."

"They brag to try attracting a mate. The males want a pretty female while the females want a fierce warrior or hunter to provide for them. Few of them look for love in a mate, just someone they can live with." Aria smiled as she thought of the way Snortshiftle and Swinney interacted. "Though some of them seem to find love and happiness as well."

"They are lucky. It seems as though I will never find my soulmate."

"I'm sure you'll find your soulmate someday, Ghirahim." Aria smiled mischievously as she sat next to him at the table.

The rest of the evening Ghirahim and Aria talked about their lives. Aria found that Ghirahim had spent thousands of years researching seals, spells and battle magic to aid in resurrecting his master. Though his stories were entertaining, Aria heard the loneliness in his voice as he spoke of his quest. The more she learned about the flamboyant demon lord, the more certain she was that he and Link were perfect for each other.

Ghirahim also enjoyed listening to Aria's stories of her life. Her stories of her life also saddened him as he knew she was leaving behind a lot of people who would mourn her passing. In all his years, he had not met a mortal as selfless and caring as Aria. He wished it had been her sister who had been taken so that Aria might be spared. However, as much as it pained him, he would honor his deal with the brave young woman.

After dinner, Ghirahim presented Aria with one of his sabers to use in case they were attacked. He fully intended on protecting her, however, he also knew that there was always the possibility that she would need to defend herself if they were outnumbered. After a brief sparring session, Aria and Ghirahim headed up to bed.

The next morning, after Ghirahim had a servant deliver a new outfit for Aria and the two of them ate breakfast, Ghirahim and Aria teleported to the Bokoblin camp at the base of the Eldin Volcano. Aria wrapped her arm around Ghirahim's waist as he almost fell. It worried her that he was pushing himself so hard.

"Ghirahim." He shook his head as he heard the worry in her voice.

"I'll be fine, Aria. I just need to rest a bit before we head out." He gazed down into her blue-gray eyes and smiled. "I wouldn't mind hearing you sing that song again."

She smiled as she led him over to the chair. Once he was seated, she sat down by his feet, pulled out the harp and started playing the same song as last time. She closed her eyes and leaned against his legs as she sang.

Ghirahim watched with interest as the pale mint green power surrounded the two of them again. Just like it did the night before, the power took away the exhaustion and left him feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. He could feel her compassion and her care for him in the power and he felt at peace for the first time in thousands of years.

The peace lasted for as long as the song did though, as he felt his heart clench at what he had to do. Though he had only known the young Hylian woman for a short time, he felt like he had always known her. Ever since his master had been sealed, Ghirahim had felt alone and friendless. But Aria felt like a friend and it pained him to know that he was going to have to sacrifice his only friend to resurrect his master. He would have preferred to sacrifice Zelda, but he had promised Aria that he wouldn't harm her sister and he was nothing if not honest in his dealings. He just wished there was another way that didn't involve the death of his friend.

Aria grasped his hand and squeezed it gently as she smiled at him. He smiled softly back before standing up and helping her to her feet.

"It's going to be alright, Ghirahim. We'll resurrect King Demise and set things straight."

"Are you sure that you want to go through with this, Aria?"

"I'm sure. I love my sister, Ghirahim, and I can't let anything happen to her. If there was a way to sacrifice just Hylia, I would, but Zelda shouldn't have to pay for something she didn't do." Ghirahim sighed as she leaned against his side. "Zelda is not Hylia."

"Then we should go. After this spring, we need to travel to the Temple of Time in the Lanayru Desert to pray to the final statue. Your soul will be fully awakened and we will be able to resurrect Master Demise."

"Are you recovered then?" Ghirahim nodded as he linked her arm through his.

"That song you sang holds a healing power that is similar to how a fairy heals. I feel fabulous!" Aria giggled and shook her head.

"Well, you look fabulous too, Ghirahim. Alright, then, let's get going." The trip up the volcano and through the Earth Temple was long and hot. Aria and Ghirahim had to battle some monsters and solve some puzzles before they reached the spring. Ghirahim waited outside the door to the spring as Aria bathed and prayed.

As he waited, he sensed the same three people from the Skyview Temple enter the Earth Temple. He sighed as he waited to see if Aria would finish before the others arrived or not. Since he and Aria had already cleared out the temple and solved the puzzles, it took them a lot less time to reach the chamber that Ghirahim was waiting in than it had taken them to reach the spring.

Aria exited the spring room and joined Ghirahim just as Link, Zelda, and Impa entered the room. For a second, they all paused and stared at each other. Ghirahim watched as tears came to Aria's eyes and a small, trembling smile tilted the corners of her lips.

"Link, Zelda." She sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them, Ghirahim could see that her resolve had hardened. "Link, I asked you not to follow me."

"You knew I wouldn't listen."

"Come on, Aria, it's time to go home." Ghirahim focused on the blonde-haired, blue-eyed woman next to the handsome young man in green. He scowled and wrapped his arm around Aria's waist.

"I'm not coming home, Zelda. I'm sorry but there's something I have to do."

"You intend to free the demon king." Aria and Ghirahim nodded at Impa. "You cannot do this. He will destroy all life."

"No, he will only fight those who stand in his way." Link, Impa, and Zelda pulled their swords as Ghirahim moved to stand in front of Aria.

"Let my sister go!"

"Zelda, go home, please. I know what I'm doing."

"Aria has made her decision, though I wish it had been different." Link tilted his head as he saw the pain and sadness in Ghirahim's eyes. It made his heart ache for the other man.

"I will not allow that demon to be freed." Impa scowled as she pointed her sword at Ghirahim. "Hand the girl over now and your life will be spared."

"Did you honestly just threaten me?" Ghirahim chuckled darkly and Aria could feel his temper start to rise. "Foolish woman. I am the Demon Lord who presides over this land you call the surface. I am called Ghirahim, though I very much prefer my full title, Lord Ghirahim. But I'm not fussy. I know the Spirit Maiden is called Zelda and the Hero is called Link, but who are you?"

"That is not your concern. Just turn the girl over to us and leave."

"I am not going back with you. I am going to help Ghirahim correct the mistake Hylia made." Aria pulled her sword out and stood next to Ghirahim. "I do not know who you are, but I will not forgive you if you dare to harm one hair on Ghirahim's head."

"Aria, snap out of this. Can't you see that he's using you?" Aria glanced over at Zelda and a single tear ran down her cheek.

"No, sister, Ghirahim is not using me. I know what's going on and what needs to be done to fix this." She sighed and shook her head. "It was good seeing you and Link again, but we have to go. There is still much to be done before we resurrect King Demise."

"Aria, why?" She smiled at Link briefly.

"I love both of you. Just stay safe and keep out of King Demise's way when he's resurrected. Once he has the Triforce and has brought his soulmate back, everything will be fine."

"You should be proud of the courage and love that Aria shows." Ghirahim glared a bit at Zelda. "She chose to sac..."

"Ghirahim, please, let's just go." Aria wrapped her hand around his wrist and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Let him finish, Aria. She chose to what?"

"It doesn't matter to you, stranger. What choices I made, I will stick with to the end. King Demise will be resurrected no matter what."

"Just tell us, Aria. Explain for us what's going on." Aria sighed and nodded at Link.

"Very well, but the stranger will wait outside." Aria tilted her head towards Impa.

"Sorry, but I'm not leaving Her Grace's side. It is my sacred duty to ensure that she is protected."

"Does she know, stranger? You seem to know a lot about what's going on. Have you told her?"

"Told me what?" Aria closed her eyes and sighed at Zelda's innocent question.

"So she hasn't told you who you really are." Ghirahim chuckled. "Allow me to explain. You are the Spirit Maiden, the goddess Hylia reborn in a mortal body."

Zelda gasped and shook her head. Link's jaw dropped as Impa scowled at Ghirahim.

"Impa, is this true?" Zelda stared at Impa as she nodded. "No, I would never...I...Link?"

"So, you've also bathed and prayed at the Skyview Spring. You know what wrong Aria is trying to fix." Ghirahim laughed humorlessly. "There are only three ways to resurrect my master. Two of which are impossible for me. Hylia herself could release the seal and restore my master, but that won't work now that you're not a goddess anymore. The Triforce could be used to wish for my master's resurrection, however, I can't take control of the Triforce nor do I know where it is. Which leaves me with but one option to resurrect my master."

"And what is that option?" Link frowned, instinctively knowing that he wasn't going to like what the other man said.

"There's a spell that can restore King Demise." Aria sighed as she leaned against Ghirahim's side. He rested his hand on her shoulder and the other three were surprised to see the sorrow in his eyes. "In order to be resurrected, King Demise would need to consume the soul of someone powerful."

"It was originally my plan to use the Spirit Maiden. If you think about it, it is a fitting punishment for Hylia as she murdered her sister."

"I couldn't let that happen. Zelda is not the same person Hylia was and I can't let my sister die like that. I offered to take her place and that is why I can't go home." Aria turned from the stricken faces of her sister and her best friend. "I made my choice of my own free will. Ghirahim is not to be blamed for this. He has promised not to harm you or Link unless it's in self-defense. There's just one temple left to go before I'll be ready. I ask that you not interfere. Go home, tell Daddy that I didn't make it, and live your lives."

"We can't do that, Aria. You can't sacrifice yourself like this. Just come home and forget about this whole thing. It's not your responsibility to right this."

"I've made my decision, Zelda. I love you too much to walk away. You're my sister and I will do anything I can to protect you." She sighed and closed her eyes. "And I can't let King Demise suffer. He just wanted his soulmate back. King Demise and Ghirahim have suffered too much as it is."

"I will not allow this." Impa suddenly raced forward, her sword ready to slice through her opponent. Before her blade could strike its mark, Ghirahim pulled Aria behind him and caught the blade with two fingers, wrenching it out of her grasp. "Demise will be destroyed as Her Grace intended."

"Impa! Why did you just attack my sister?" Impa backed away from Ghirahim and readied an energy bomb.

"She cannot be allowed to release Demise. Since she is determined to do so, she is the enemy and must be stopped."

"You can't kill my sister!"

"Your Grace, this was not part of your plan."

"I am not Hylia and I will not allow you to hurt my sister!" Impa gasped as Link and Zelda placed themselves in front of Ghirahim and Aria with their swords drawn. "Go, please. Get Aria out of here."

"We'll catch up. Just keep Aria safe. We can discuss the options later."

"Very well." Ghirahim pulled Aria tight to his side and snapped his fingers, teleporting them back to the Bokoblin base.


	6. Chapter 6

"Your Grace!" Impa scowled as she dismissed the energy bomb.

"Don't, Impa. I don't care what plans you and Hylia had, you will not kill my sister."

"I see there is no reasoning with you. You are not the same as you once were." Impa raised her hand and threw a smoke bomb down. Link and Zelda coughed as they covered their faces. "I will carry out my mission to keep Demise from being resurrected."

When the air cleared, Impa was gone, leaving Link and Zelda alone in the temple. They both released a sigh and sheathed their swords.

"Well, that was interesting. Come on, let's get you into the spring so that we can follow Aria and Ghirahim." Zelda nodded as they stepped into the spring chamber. Once again, Link and Fi went to the goddess statue while Zelda bathed and prayed. Almost immediately, she was pulled into another vision.

Zelda's Vision

_Farore, Din, and Nayru, the three Goddesses who created the world, frowned when they reviewed the past and future of their youngest world. It had been centuries since they had entrusted their new world to the young Goddess, Hylia and her twin sister, Lylira._

_Hylia had been given the task of keeping the peace between the Demons and the other races that they had created and unifying them in a peaceful coexistence as well as protect the Triforce they had left behind. As the Demons were created first, they were to be the protectors of the world and would live for thousands of years. The three Goddesses knew that there would be some resentment from the shorter-lived races, which was why they created each being with a soulmate. Some people would find their mates within their own race, while others would find them in another race._

_Uniting these soulmates was Lylira's task. Lylira had a rare gift, so rare that only one other goddess had ever had it before, she could see the thread of fate that connected the two souls. Each thread connected a person to one other person and Lylira was the only one who could see them._

_When two soulmates reconnected their souls through the physical act of mating, their lifelines were extended to that of the longer-lived race. When one of a bonded pair died, the other would as well. Demons were especially protective of their soulmates, even before they were bound._

_Farore, Din, and Nayru were very displeased with what had happened to their youngest world and the future their world was heading for due to Hylia's choices. Instead of keeping the peace, Hylia had set the stage for a war between the Demons and the other races. A war that would echo across time, causing death and destruction throughout the ages. Condemning the soul of a young Hylian to sacrifice and struggle over and over throughout each of his lives and preventing him from claiming his soulmate. All because Hylia was rejected by the Demon King Demise who had found his soulmate. Hylia murdered Demise's soulmate, her own sister, with the sword that Lylira had created for Demise before the pair could bond._

_They saw her plans to destroy Demise as she had already destroyed most of the other Demons. Due to the free will that they gave to their creations, they could not change what happened in the past nor could they change the path the world and its inhabitant were to take if Hylia's plan were to succeed. However, they could correct one wrong that Hylia committed. Farore, Din, and Nayru called the disembodied soul of Hylia before them._

_"Hylia, we are very disappointed in you." Farore shook her head at the golden-haired goddess before them._

_"We gave you a task and instead of keeping the peace, you started a war with the Demons who were to protect the others." Din tapped her foot and crossed her arms as she glared at Hylia._

_"You also murdered your own sister, preventing our creations from finding their soulmates, as she was tasked with." Nayru sighed. "What have you to say for yourself?"_

_"Demise should have been mine." Hylia scowled at the three goddesses. "Had he married me, the peace between the races would have been assured. Lylira ruined everything."_

_"It was not your place to decide whom should be with who. Soulmates are two halves of the same whole and as such cannot be truly happy with anyone else." Hylia shook her head at Nayru._

_"As you have circumvented the fate of so many, your punishment shall be decided by the one person you wronged the most." Din grinned viciously._

_"We know that you plan to be reincarnated in the future as a Hylian. However, you will have no access to your powers and your soul will be suppressed by the innocent soul of another. Even if your memories are reawakened, you will not be the one who decides the fate of the world." Farore smiled and snapped her fingers, removing Hylia's powers. "Lylira will be reborn as a goddess while you remain Hylian. She will decide your fate and the fate of the world."_

_"What?! That's ridiculous!"_

_"No, what's ridiculous is your ego. You were supposed to unite the races and all you've done is tear them apart." Din smirked. "Once she is awakened, Lylira will be the one to guide this world and all its realms. I hope that she has a fitting punishment for your treachery, Hylia."_

_"Rest assured that young Zelda will know of your treachery. Hopefully, she will not follow the same path you have. If her spirit is strong enough, wise enough and courageous enough, she will be spared the fate Lylira, or as she will be called, Aria, decides on for you." The three goddesses snapped their fingers and golden chains appeared around Hylia, binding her powers and her soul._

Zelda gasped as she opened her eyes. Finally, she understood why she had been so jealous of and mean to Aria. Hylia's soul, bound and chained, had tried to turn her against her sister. She tried to influence Zelda into killing Aria before she could change the plans she had set into place. And to Zelda's shame, there were times when she had nearly succeeded. However, Zelda's love for Aria had held her back from making the same mistake Hylia had.

"Zels?" She looked up to see Link holding a towel out for her. She stood and dried off before changing into her clothes. "Why are you crying, Zels?"

She paused and wiped the tears she hadn't realized she was shedding off her face before she finished pulling her boots on.

"I'll tell you when we catch up to Ghirahim and Aria. One thing's for sure, though. Aria cannot sacrifice herself to resurrect Demise." She held up her hand to stop Link from speaking. "I'll explain when we get there. I just pray we find them before Impa does. Aria's right about needing to resurrect Demise, but she can't die."

"Alright, then let's get going. Fi, can you drowse for Aria?"

"Of course, Master Link. Lady Aria is at the southern base of the volcano." Link and Zelda nodded as they raced out of the temple and headed down the southern side of the volcano.

It took them a few hours to reach the bottom of the volcano. Fi's drowsing ability led them to a small camp of Bokoblins. They were about to draw their swords when Aria stepped out of a larger hut and called one of the Bokoblins over. After talking for a minute, the Bokoblin nodded and addressed the others with squeals, snorts, and grunts. Link and Zelda were surprised to see the Bokoblins shrug, put up their weapons and go back to what they were doing before. Aria and the Bokoblin she had spoken with joined Link and Zelda at the edge of the camp.

"Link, Zelda, this is General Grunsnip, second in command to Ghirahim in the Eldin region. General, this is my sister, Zelda, and my best friend, Link."

"Welcome, Lord Ghirahim is waiting for you. He doesn't like waiting." Aria laughed and shook her head.

"I'll take them over, General. I just wanted to introduce you." General Grunsnip bowed, turned on his heels and marched back into the camp, grunting and squealing at a few of the other Bokoblins as he passed. Aria lead them back to the hut she had exited. "Please forgive him, he's just grumpy because Ghirahim ordered him to cooperate with General Brutus from the Faron region and General Tariku from the Lanayru region in a search for Impa. They don't get along very well."

"Brutus and Grunsnip fought over who would get to take Tariku for a wife. Tariku then beat them both and married Skipsnort, the camp cook." Ghirahim chuckled as he stood up. Aria smiled and shook her head. "Tariku can't cook or sew, but she can fight better than most male Bokoblins, so it was a good match."

"I guess." Zelda giggled a bit nervously as Ghirahim glared at her. "We need to talk about your plans."

"Zelda, I'm going to resurrect King Demise." Link shook his head and patted Aria's shoulder.

"That's not what this is about, sister. I agree with you that King Demise needs to be resurrected, but you can't be the one sacrificed." She held up her hand to stop Aria from speaking. "When you bathed and prayed in the Earth Spring, what did you see?"

"It was a vision of when Lylira and King Demise met. It was such a romantic scene. King Demise towered over Lylira as she barely reached his chest, but he was so gentle and sweet. Lylira was so happy to meet him and she knew he was just as happy to have met her. Both had fallen in love by the end of the day, but King Demise insisted on courting her." Aria blushed slightly as she described the vision she had witnessed.

"Ok, so you didn't see the same vision I saw." Zelda sighed and ran her hand down her face. "Aria, you cannot be the one sacrificed to resurrect King Demise. Even if it did work, you would be condemning the whole world."

"My master will only seek the Triforce to bring Lylira back."

"But she can't come back if he devours her soul to be resurrected! Aria is Lylira, not reborn as a mortal like Hylia planned for herself, but actually Lylira, given a second chance as a goddess by the three golden goddesses!" Zelda closed her eyes for a minute as a few fresh tears slid down her cheeks. "That's why I'll be the sacrifice. It's only right as Hylia's soul resides within me. She's bound and chained, unable to actually take over my own soul, but she has been able to influence it. She's why I've been so jealous and mean to you, Aria. I couldn't understand why I was acting the way I was. I've always loved you, but I couldn't help lashing out. When you were lost, I didn't know what to do. I hated how I had acted and I just wanted to find you and apologize. I just wanted you to come back home, I wanted us to be friends again."

"Zelda, no, I can't let you do this."

"There's no other choice, Aria. Besides, Hylia has to pay for killing you and trying to make me kill you."

"Wait, what?" Zelda sighed and motioned for everyone to sit down. Once they were seated, she took Aria's hand and held it.

"Do you remember the time we almost fell off Skyloft and Link saved us?"

"Of course. I was terrified. You were clinging to the edge with one hand while clinging to my hand with the other. I thought for sure that we were both going to fall."

"While Link was pulling me up, there was an urge in me to just let go. I couldn't understand why I was tempted to let go, and it scared me."

"Well, you didn't drop me and it is actions that matter, not thoughts. I still don't want you to die, Zelda."

"It's the only choice we have. You can't be the sacrifice and I would rather take Hylia with me as I die than to let the bitch live, even bound and chained. Aria, your King Demise's soulmate. Even if I didn't want to do this for him, I'd do it for you. You deserve to find your soulmate and you have a duty to the rest of the races to help them find their soulmates." Zelda sighed and squeezed Aria's hand. "After I'm gone, you'll have to protect the Triforce, which was part of Hylia's task."

"If your soul is devoured, Groose will be alone in every life." Aria smirked as Zelda groaned. "After all, Groose is your soulmate."

"Ugh, again with the whole Groose thing."

"It's true, after all, if I'm Lylira, I would know soulmates when I see them." She smirked and winked at Link before leaning over and whispering in his ear. "Your soulmate is Ghirahim. I'll let you tell him when you're ready to."

Thanks." Link blushed a bit as he peeked over at Ghirahim. "Anyway, we're getting off track. There has to be a way to resurrect Demise without sacrificing Zelda."

"Ghirahim, do you know of any spells that would separate Hylia's soul from Zelda's body without taking Zelda's with it?" Aria leaned back in her chair. "Zelda shouldn't have to pay for something she didn't do."

"The only thing that could accomplish that would be making a wish on the Triforce and I can't wield it. Only someone with an unbreakable spirit can handle the Triforce." Ghirahim sighed and shook his head. "I know I'm strong, but even I can break. I very nearly broke when Lylira was killed."

"Well, she's back now and we're going to make sure that she stays alive." Link nodded at Ghirahim and smiled. "Maybe we'll figure out how to use the Triforce if we get more for their memories back."

"Then we continue with our plans to travel to the Temple of Time. I can't teleport all of you, though, so it's going to be a long journey through the field that connects the regions. It will take us weeks to reach the Lanayru Desert."

"We'll just go back to Skyloft, place the Amber tablet into the shrine and it will most-likely open the way to the Lanayru Desert."

"The only problem is that Ghirahim doesn't have a Loftwing." Aria winked at Link. "I guess someone will have to give him a ride."

"I can't, my Loftwing can't carry double. Aria's can carry double, but doesn't let anyone but Aria near her."

"No problem, Ghirahim can ride with me. My Crimson Loftwing can care double and is doesn't mind carrying other people as long as I'm with them." Link stood up and clapped his hands. "Well, that's settled. We'll head up to Skyloft, rest up tonight and head out tomorrow. Ghirahim, you can sleep in my room."

"Great idea! Aria and I can catch up with Daddy and let him know that we're still on a mission."

"Just don't tell him that one of us might die. He'd tie us up and lock us in our rooms." Zelda laughed and shook her head at the familiar threat.

"Like he hasn't threatened us with that since we learned to walk." Aria nodded and giggled as the rest of them stood up and followed Link to the bird statue. Link had Ghirahim hold on to him as they activated the statue and were shot up into the air by a huge gust of wind. As soon as they were above the cloud barrier, Link, Zelda and Aria whistled for their Loftwings. Aria laughed with joy as they soared through the air to Skyloft.

The first thing the four of them did when they arrive was place the Amber tablet into the shrine. A yellow beacon pierced the cloud barrier, showing them the way to the Lanayru Desert. After that, they headed for Gaepora's office. Ghirahim was happy to see the reunion between the Headmaster and his daughter. Gaepora even thanked Ghirahim for keeping Aria safe, which made him feel a little bad considering he had caused her disappearance and had been going to sacrifice her, but Aria refused to include that part into the story and everyone else followed her lead.

Gaepora gave Aria her mother's extra knights uniform which was identical to the one Zelda was wearing as well as the shield her mother had used. Since she had the sword that Ghirahim had made, she wasn't worried about getting another one.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, Gaepora waved the four of them off as they headed to stock up on essentials at the Bazaar. They headed out to Lanayru a short time later, once again, Link and Ghirahim rode on Link's Loftwing. Aria smiled as she watched the two of them talk. She even caught them blushing a few times. She also saw Ghirahim lean against Link's back as Link leaned against his chest and the way Ghirahim's hands gradually dropped to grip Link's hips.

When the four of them reached the beacon, Zelda and Aria shared Zelda's sailcloth while Ghirahim and Link shared his. Link's face was red as a tomato since Ghirahim had to wrap himself around Link to keep from messing up their landing since he was taller than Link. Zelda and Aria exchanged a look and giggled at how cute the two men were together.

After searching the desert and going through the Lanayru Mining Facility, they finally reached the Temple of Time. Though there was no spring there, Aria and Zelda prayed to the goddess statue that stood behind a large, gear shaped structure.

The Vision

_Aria and Zelda found themselves standing in a large, white temple. They were standing in the silver triangle in the center of a mosaic of the Triforce that also had a stylized Loftwing in it, each of the golden triangles had a different symbol in the center of it and was outlined in a different color. There were six other symbols in circles around the Triforce and what appeared to be a dark, upside down Triforce under the first Triforce. (The mosaic looks like the picture below.)_

_The two of them held each other's hands as they waited for whatever was going to happen. After a few minutes, three flashes of light streaked down from the cloudless sky. One light was bright red, another was the green of new leaves, and the last was as blue as the midday sky. Each light landed in the center of the Triforce that bore the same colored symbols. As the light dimmed, Zelda and Aria were greeted to the sight of the three golden goddesses._

_"Welcome, Aria, Zelda. We have long awaited this moment." Nayru smiled at the two women._

_"Indeed, the time for you to both remember everything is now." Din grinned._

_"Once your memories have been unlocked, Aria will decide the fate of Hylia as well as Zelda and the world. Choose carefully, young one, as there are several futures that could become reality." Farore nodded her head._

_"Blessed light, Shadow deep, release the memories that you keep. Let the young ones know the truth they lost. Wisdom, Courage, and Power guide them whatever the cost. As we will so let it be." As the three goddesses chanted, memories poured through the two women. Some memories were good, such as the goddesses playing together as children and their first ball with the gods and goddesses of old. Other memories were painful._

_With the release of her memories, Lylira's powers were fully awakened. She could sense the emotions of everyone on the planet and see the threads of fate binding certain souls together. It pleased her to know that her friends, Snortshiftle and Swinney, were indeed soulmates. As were Pipit and Karane who had recently started dating. All the people she had helped in the past, the ones she felt would work out were soulmates._

_It took her a few minutes to relearn how to tune out all the information she was receiving. Meanwhile, Zelda was horrified of how ruthless and vindictive Hylia had become after she had killed her sister. The once kind goddess had become a monster who relished the pain she was causing others. But what horrified her the most was the challenges she had set up for Link. She could feel Hylia's soul struggling against the chains that bound her. When the two women emerged from their memories, the three goddesses nodded and moved to stand in front of them._

_"Zelda, have you anything to say?" Farore smiled down at the golden-haired woman._

_"Hylia is a despicable person." Zelda squeezed Aria's hand. "She deserves to pay for her actions and if the only way for her to pay is for me to sacrifice myself, that is what I'm prepared to do."_

_"And you, Lylira? Have you decided?" Din smirked at the auburn-haired goddess._

_"Zelda is my sister, no matter who was my sister in the past. I am not just Lylira, but I am also Aria. We have family and friends who care for us." Aria sighed and closed her eyes. "It pains me to know that Hylia fell so far, but Zelda should not be punished for Hylia's sins. If there is a way to separate Hylia's soul from Zelda's, I would let Demise devour Hylia's soul while leaving Zelda her own soul."_

_"A wise choice, Aria." Nayru grinned. "There are two ways to separate Hylia's soul from Zelda's body without killing Zelda. The first is to have Link, the Goddess's chosen hero, retrieve the Triforce and make a wish."_

_"No, please. I know what challenges Hylia put in front of him and I would spare him the pain and suffering that these trials would cause." Zelda shivered as she thought of the silent realms. "What's the other way?"_

_"It would involve you going through the trials that Link would have in the silent realms. The silent realms will strengthen your soul and weaken the bond between your body and Hylia. A body is only supposed to house one soul. By strengthening your soul, you will claim your body for yourself, causing the spell Ghirahim is going to use to draw out just Hylia's soul." Zelda closed her eyes and sighed._

_"Then that's what I will do. There are four silent realms, one in each region and one in Skyloft." Aria smiled at her sister, proud of how much her spirit had already grown._

_"And what of Impa?" The two sisters looked at Din and sighed. "She is determined to kill Aria and prevent Demise from being resurrected."_

_"The Gate of Time. It's how she's here in this time in the first place. We will send her back to her own time and destroy the active gate."_

_"Another wise decision. Your father will be very proud you both." Farore laid her hands on their heads. "The future you chose begins now. Aria, you are still a goddess where Zelda is not. The tasks that were given to Hylia are now yours to bear. Protect the Triforce, bring peace to the world, and help soulmate find each other. Demise will be of great help to you as your husband."_

_"Awake and follow the path you chose with courage, wisdom, and power." The three goddesses began to glow brightly again, Farore glowed green, Din glowed red and Nayru glowed blue. In a flash, they were gone, and the temple faded from around them. The last thing to fade was the mosaic on which they stood._

Zelda and Aria opened their eyes and smiled at each other. However, their smiles disappeared as they heard steel clashing against steel. They peeked around the gear shaped structure to see Link and Ghirahim fighting Impa. Aria smirked as she saw that Ghirahim had placed a diamond barrier around them.

"Aria, to open the Gate of Time, you must play and sing the Ballad of the Goddess." She nodded as she pulled the harp out and started playing.

 _"En Da Sha Bu..._  
No Bie Shun Dwu...  
Dien Shu Twu...  
Kieranu Sa Lei...

_(Oh youth, guided by the servant of the goddess...  
Unite earth and sky... Bring light to the land...)_

__  
En Da Sha Bu...  
No Bie Shun Dwu...  
Dien Shu Twu...  
Kieranu Sa Lei...

_(Oh youth, guided by the servant of the goddess...  
Unite earth and sky... Bring light to the land...)_

__  
Hail to her grace  
Our great goddess  
March forward  
Restore this world's order  
  
Hail Hylia  
Give us Courage  
Teach Wisdom  
Bless us with Power  
  
Brave warrior  
Hero of time  
From here, your journey begins  
  
Her sword in your hands  
Her song in your heart  
May you bring light to this land  
  
Take to the skies  
Receive her blessing  
Raise your sword to the gods, skyward  
  
Your time has come  
Our great hero  
With your light  
Unite both the Earth and Skies"

As she played, the gear shaped structure opened and the gear started turning. They could hear the ticking of a clock was the gate to the past was opened.

While Aria was opening the gate, Zelda caught Link's attention and mimed for them to bring Impa to the gate. Link nodded his understanding and waited until Impa was preoccupied with Ghirahim before rushing in and hitting her in the back of the head with his sword. While she was stunned, Ghirahim and Link dragged her to the gate and threw her through it. Link smirked as he pulled a bomb flower out, lit it and threw it at the gate, trapping Impa in her own time.

"So, how did it go?" Link sheathed his sword and leaned against the wall next to Ghirahim. "Did you find anything out?"

"Yeah, you could say that." Aria sighed and shook her head. "Zelda's going to have to strengthen her soul so when Ghirahim performs the spell, Hylia's soul will be drawn out while Zelda's isn't."

"What about using the Triforce? Wouldn't that be easier?" Ghirahim sighed as he thought of all the energy the spell was going to use.

"Absolutely not!" Ghirahim and Link jumped as Zelda stomped her foot. "Link would be the only one who could reach it and I'm not making him go through all the trials and horrors that Hylia put into place to do so."

"The plan is for Zelda to face four trials and since she has Hylia's memories, she won't have as hard a time of them as Link would."

"What kind of trials?" Aria grimaced as she recalled what the spirit realms were like. Each god and goddess had to go through one as a rite of passage before they were deemed worthy to protect and guide a world.

"The silent realms." Zelda sighed. "Have you heard of them, Ghirahim?"

"No, can't say that I have."

"Just be glad that you don't have to go through them." Aria shuddered. "I only had to go through one before being granted the right to guide this world. It's a terrifying and desolate place that pulls your mind in. I won't get into details."

"Zelda, are you sure you can do this? I don't mind going after the Triforce."

"I'm doing this, Link. The tasks Hylia had in store for you are much worse than the silent realms, though you would have had to go through all four of them as well. Trust me, this way is for the best and will take the least amount of time."

"Alright, then we should head out. Where's the first trial?" Ghirahim straightened and gestured for the others to head out.

"Faron Woods. I will need you to guard my body while I'm in the silent realms."

"Don't worry, Zelda. We won't let anything happen to you." Aria hugged Zelda, who sighed and closed her eyes.

"Thanks, all of you."

Zelda set herself a grueling pace. After leaving the Temple of Time, the four of them headed directly to Faron Woods. As she had access to Hylia's memories, she knew the songs that had to be played as well as the location of the marks. While Zelda was in the silent realm, running from the guardians and collecting the tears, Aria stood guard over her body while Link and Ghirahim talked and joked around.

Aria was happy to see the two of them getting along so well. The faint blushes and shy glances that Link sent towards Ghirahim made her smile. Ghirahim would lean closer every now and then as they talked and Aria could see the joy in both men's eyes. The thread of fate that connected the two of them grew stronger and brighter as time passed.

Aria sighed wistfully as she watched the two soulmates. Her whole life, she had felt that something was missing and now that her memories of being Lylira were awakened, she finally knew what it was. She glanced down at her own thread of fate. Though the colors had faded with their separation, the thread was still strong. The once bright gold, black and red thread had faded to a dull yellow, gray and pink, which made her sad to see.

Zelda awakened with a gasp. Her face was pale and strained she Aria helped her sit down. Ghirahim and Link brought her some cold water and some food to help her recover.

"One down, three to go." She sighed and shook her head.

"Let's get back to Skyloft. You can rest for a few days before we head to the next one." Zelda shook her head again.

"No, we have to get this done as soon as possible. We'll rest tonight and head to the Lanayru Desert in the morning and the Eldin Volcano in the afternoon, then the Skyloft silent realm tomorrow night."

"Zelda, please, you need more rest than that between the trials." Aria rested her hands on Zelda's shoulders. "If you won't take a few days to rest between them, then take on one a day for the next three days."

"Aria is right, Zelda. The spell is going to be draining. You need to be well rested to keep your soul from being taken with Hylia's." Ghirahim smiled as he draped an arm over Link's shoulders. "Besides, you will need to strengthen the bonds between you and your friends. It will give you something to cling to when the spell is pulling at you."

"Besides, if you don't hang out with Groose, he's going to follow us eventually. I'd rather he stays out of this and on Skyloft than having him tag along." Link leaned against Ghirahim's side. Aria giggled and nodded as Zelda sighed.

"Alright, fine. I suppose I can live with that compromise."

"Seriously, Zelda, you should give Groose a chance. I know you two are meant to be and you know I'm never wrong." Zelda groaned but smiled.

"Ok, ok, I'll give him a chance. But only because you're the goddess of soulmates. I still can't believe that Groose is my other half."

"He's not so bad when he's not trying to impress you." Aria laughed. "And now that Link's not his 'rival' anymore, he may just stop picking on him."

"This Groose picks on Link?" Zelda and Aria giggled as Ghirahim frowned and clenched his fist.

"Relax, Ghira, Groose is easy to ignore and mostly harmless. The worst he's done was hide my Loftwing and have his friends throw eggs at me during the Wing Ceremony." Link laughed and shook his head. "He talks tough but he's always had a soft spot for Zelda."

After Zelda's face gained some color, they headed back up to Skyloft. Zelda headed straight for her room to rest while Link took Ghirahim to one of the waterfalls to relax. Aria spent the evening in her room, thinking about her memories of Demise. She missed the way he would smile when he saw her, the way his molten gold eyes would glow brighter as he held her in his strong arms.

She missed the sound of his voice as he told her about his life and his dreams. They were humble dreams of a family, of leading his race with wisdom and fairness, and of peace for the world and all its races. For as fierce as he looked, he had a gentle, loving soul. Aria fell asleep dreaming of her gentle warrior.


	8. Chapter 8

The next three days passed swiftly for Link, Ghirahim and Aria, though the mornings seemed to last forever for Zelda. Each silent realm was more harrowing than the last and left her shaking and pale for a long time after exiting. However, she could also feel the strength of her soul growing and that gave her hope that she would survive the resurrection of Demise.

Zelda was surprised to find that, once she gave him a chance, Groose was good company and she had a lot of fun with him. Since finding out that Link wasn't interested in Zelda like he had thought, Groose had apologized to Link for everything he had done. The more time they spent together, the more of his good qualities they both found.

On the morning after Zelda completed the Goddess's silent realm, the four friends flew back down to Faron Woods and headed for the pit outside the Sealed Grounds. The old woman from the start of their journey was missing, but they didn't spend much time wondering about that.

"This spell takes time and concentration to cast." Ghirahim sighed as he led the others to the bottom of the pit. "No matter what, please don't move while I'm casting the spell, any of you. I know this may be painful, but bear with it, Zelda."

Link, Zelda, and Aria nodded in agreement as they reached the bottom. Zelda went to stand next to the sealing spike. Ghirahim took a second to create a barrier around the pit and summoned his Bokoblin armies to stand guard just in case. Snortshiftle and General Brutus stood guard next to Aria and Link. Aria smiled at her Bokoblin friends before turning to watch Ghirahim cast the spell.

Shortly after Ghirahim started chanting and dancing around Zelda, she started floating and whimpering. A golden light appeared around her as Hylia's soul was being forced out of Zelda's body. Aria and Link bit their lips as Zelda groaned and whimpered.

After what seemed like hours, the seal on the ground started glowing red and a large, scaly, black creature with several rows of sharp teeth rose from the sealed ground. It roared and Zelda cried out as the golden light surrounding her was pulled into the creature. Black smoke exploded from the creature, temporarily blinding everyone before it pulled back in and formed into Demise. As soon as Demise was formed, Link ran over and caught Zelda as she fell.

Aria hesitated for a minute until she saw Link give her a thumb up. She sighed with relief before smiling at Demise. Ghirahim knelt before him with his arm over his chest as Demise smiled at him.

"Welcome back Master." Demise nodded at Ghirahim before looking around. Aria saw his eyes widen as he spotted her. "Lylira, or as she's now called, Aria has been quite eager to meet you in this life."

"Lylira?" Aria nodded as she started slowly towards him. A few tears streamed down her cheeks before she broke into a run and jumped up to hug him.

"Demise, I've missed you so much." She buried her face in his neck. "I'm so glad to be back in your arms, my love."

"Lylira." He sighed as he wrapped his arms around her, engulfing her smaller frame. "I've dreamt of holding you again, my little goddess. How are you back?"

"Farore, Nayru, and Din brought me back. They let me live my life over." Aria pulled back slightly and slid her hand along his cheek. "Come, my love, come meet my new sister and my best friend."

"New sister?" Aria nodded as he set her down and led him over to Link and Zelda. She introduced them to Demise, even though Zelda wasn't conscious, and explained what had happened since he was sealed away as he held her to him. Aria was almost half way through the story when Zelda woke up. Zelda immediately hugged Aria to the amusement of the others.

After Aria, Link, Ghirahim, and Zelda finished explaining things, Zelda apologized on behalf of Hylia for what she had done. Aria, of course, insisted that Zelda had nothing to apologize for while Demise just accepted her apology. Demise watched the two sisters interact and he was glad to see that her mortal sister was nothing like Hylia had been.

He was also interested to find out that Ghirahim, who was like a son to him, had found his soulmate in the young Hylian man. From the indulgent way his soulmate watched the two, he knew that she was happy that they had found each other.

Aria basked in the feeling of being in Demise's arms again and leaned back into his chest. To her delight, the thread of fate that connected the two of them had blazed back to how it was before the second he took her in his arms. With each second, the thread strengthened and brightened.

As if reading her mind, when she tilted her head up, Demise met her lips with his and felt her smile into the kiss. She buried her hand in his flame-like hair and stood on her toes to deepen the kiss. The two only broke the kiss when they heard Zelda giggling and Link and Ghirahim chuckling. Demise smirked as Aria's face turned red, though her eyes were still clouded with desire and love.

"Get a room, you two." Zelda laughed and shook her head.

"Well, we hadn't seen each other in centuries." Aria winked at Demise who kissed her forehead.

"Speaking of rooms, where do you plan on living, Aria?" Link leaned against Ghirahim almost exactly like Aria leaned against Demise.

"I think I'd like to live down here. There are a lot of races that I need to get reacquainted with and I have a lot of work ahead of me. Not only do I have to bring the different soulmates together, but I have to work on the relations between the races as well as guard the Triforce." Aria sighed and shook her head. "So much has to be fixed."

"Take your time, sister. You deserve to take some time for yourself first." Zelda grinned mischievously at Aria and Demise. "Besides, we still have weddings for you two as well as Link and Ghirahim to plan. I don't think King Demise would be willing to wait much longer to claim you as his."

"Our binding is several centuries overdue." Demise chuckled and winked at Aria. "I can promise you that I won't wait any longer than necessary."

"Well, you're going to have to wait a bit longer, love." Aria laughed as she blushed and shook her head. "Zelda and I need to let Daddy know what's going on."

"I would like to meet the mortal who took such good care of you." Thick black smoke surrounded him again for a second before it dissipated, revealing a much more human looking Demise. His waist-length hair was bright red, but no longer appeared to be made of fire. His skin was a dark tan-gray, his eyes were amber, and he was wearing armor instead of his usual cape. He was still much taller than Aria, but not as tall as he had been.

"Demise?" He smirked and shrugged.

"Your mortal father would be more comfortable with me in this form." Aria giggled and shook her head.

"If you make me happy, Daddy won't care what you look like. Though this will cause less of a commotion when we go to Skyloft."

"Just how are we going to get King Demise to Skyloft?" Zelda tilted her head in thought. "My loftwing isn't strong enough for two and I'm not sure if yours will allow him to ride."

"That's not a problem." Demise smirked. "Most high-ranking demons can teleport like Ghirahim can. I'll meet you four up there."

"We'll meet up at the waterfall, then. Few people go there at this time of day." Aria smiled and kissed Demise's cheek. "You look amazing, my love, but I like your real form best."

The others laughed as they headed for the bird statue. Just before they activated the bird statue, Demise pulled Aria into his arms again for another kiss. Zelda, Link, and Ghirahim were grinning when the Demon King released the breathless woman. Her face was bright pink as her sister and friends whistled at them.

The flight back to Skyloft was full of laughter and joking. When they arrived, they meet with Demise at the waterfall before walking back to the Knight Academy. Aria and Zelda played tour guides, pointing out the different points of interest. Demise briefly scowled at the statue of Hylia, but Aria leaned against his side and smiled up at him, making him smile.

Gaepora was surprised by the new companion his daughters had. The tall, dark-skinned man caused quite a few heads to turn, though thankfully, no one ran in fear of Demise. He was even more surprised the hear what had happened while his little girls and Link, who he thought of as a son, were on the surface. It was a big shock to him that Hylia wasn't as benevolent as they had thought and that Aria was a real goddess.

While Gaepora was a bit disappointed that neither of his daughters was going to marry Link, he was happy to hear that both Aria and Link had found their soulmates. He was also happy to find out that Zelda had finally given Groose a shot, as the young man had been in love with his daughter for years.

After recounting the whole story to Gaepora, the headmaster discussed the possibility of moving the Hylians to the surface since the floating islands were getting too small for their population. Demise agreed to help those who chose to move to the surface build their homes and take up the task the Golden Goddesses has left to him once again.

Aria, Demise, Link, and Ghirahim were married three weeks after their return from the surface. During those weeks, Gaepora called a meeting for the residents of Skyloft and informed them of the vast lands beneath the cloud barrier and how it was safe to live there again as long as they were careful of the wildlife. Link and Ghirahim took groups of knights down to the surface and started training them for fighting the dangerous creatures and introducing them to the other intelligent beings that lived on the surface.

Aria introduced Demise to the others on Skyloft and everyone that she had helped was thrilled to hear that she had found someone. It was clear to everyone that Demise loved the young woman who had been there for them when they were heartbroken or nervous about asking someone out. Aria and Zelda worked with Karane on the wedding plans while Demise and Gaepora planned were to build the settlement.

While there were a few other girls who were disappointed that Link was no longer available and that he was more interested in men than women, everyone was happy to see Link so happy. Ghirahim was so flamboyant in his affections and drew Link out of his shell so much that his friends hardly recognized him as the same quiet, sleepy man that he had been before he went to the surface.

Gaepora, Link, Ghirahim, Aria, Demise, Fi, and Zelda decided to keep the fact that Zelda had been the host for Hylia and that Aria was a goddess a secret between the seven of them. Fi, whose purpose had been to seal away Demise, decided to stay with Link as his sword spirit.

It was during the double wedding that Zelda realized that Link and Aria would outlive her, Gaepora, Groose, and their other friends. She also realized that this meant her sister and her best friend would have to lose them all after a while and she felt sorry for those whose lives were so long. They would have to watch as everything changed, as friends and family grew old and died long before they aged at all. Zelda knew that she wouldn't have been able to stay sane in those circumstances but that her sister and best friend could handle it.

As she watched the two couples share their first kisses as wedded couples, she knew that Demise and Ghirahim, who had lived so long already and lost so much, would be there to help Aria and Link through the hard times. Zelda peeked up at Groose, who was blowing his nose and wiping the tears from his cheeks while beaming a smile at the two couples. She giggled and smiled at the sight of the large lug head crying at a wedding.

Five years later, the settlement, which the people had decided to call Hyrule, was set up and the Hylians voted to make Gaepora their king since he had the most experience with managing people. Zelda and Groose were married two years after Aria, Demise, Link, and Ghirahim and were chosen to succeed Gaepora when he passed away. Aria and the others had gone back to the demon realm a few months after their wedding, but they visited every couple of weeks.

The fifty demons who had survived the initial war with Hylia welcomed their king and his new queen back with a huge feast. At first, they were reluctant to forgive the Hylians and the others who fought against them. However, once they found out that Hylia herself had been dealt with and that he had no need to after more power than he already had, they followed their king and queen's wishes.

The fact that Aria had found their soulmates within the first three years and some of their soulmates were from the other races, helped smooth things over with the other demons. It also helped that Gaepora's first act as king was to sign a treaty with Demise.

As the years passed, Link and Ghirahim adopted several children and raised them at Demise's castle. Aria made sure that the children were soulmates for demons before giving them her blessing. She knew that Ghirahim and Link would be devastated if their children died before them.

Aria and Link watched as their friends grew older, found their soulmates and passed away if they weren't lucky enough to have a demon as a soulmate. Both Aria and Link broke down in tears when Gaepora passed away, just ten years later. Zelda was able to push the pain of lose aside while she and Groose took over as queen and king while Demise and Ghirahim comforted them.

Groose and Zelda ruled for sixty years before they passed away, leaving their only son, Lyrken, and his young pregnant wife, Denise, in charge. Link and Aria were happy to hear that they decided to start a tradition of naming the first born either Gaepora for a boy or Zelda for a girl in honor of Lyrken's mother and grandfather. They had both agreed that naming a child Groose was just asking for the other kids to tease them.

A few years after Zelda and Groose died, Aria finally gave birth to Demise's heir. The young prince Devon had his father's claws, fangs, and scales, but his mother's auburn hair, stormy gray-blue eyes. However, his skin was light gray while his scales were golden and his claws were black. He also inherited his mother's gift of being able to see the thread of fate that bound two soulmates together.

Hundreds of years passed before Din, Farore and Nayru returned once again to check on the world they had created. The three of them smiled and nodded as they took note of the peace that they found. The future looked bright as the races intermingled and each adult was paired with their soulmate. Every person, when they reached adulthood, would make a pilgrimage to the Temple of the Golden Goddesses where Devon and Aria would greet them and guide them to their soulmates.

The Triforce was once again regarded as a myth since only Aria knew where it was and Link was still the only one who could get to it. The demons continued to stand between any other dimensional or extraterrestrial threat and the rest of the world. Gradually, the attacks slowed down and then stopped as word spread that invasion attempts were suicide missions. Finally, all was right with their world.    


End file.
